Coffee and Scribbles
by JessieWills
Summary: What happens if Kate and Rick meet earlier than believed in a coffee shop? What will happen between the two of them? Johanna Beckett is alive in this story! At least for some of it! Disclaimer: I don't own Castle!
1. Chapter 1

**I don't know what made me want to write this but I wrote it anyway. It'll probably be a short story in comparison to some of my other stories but I liked the idea of this. So Kate's around eighteen and Castle's twenty six. Anyway, I just wanted to say Johanna Beckett is still alive in this for the time being and well, yeah I'll leave you to either read this or not read it. **

Laughing as she entered the coffee shop with her two friends, Kate laughed as she approached an empty table and sat herself down; throwing her bag onto the floor as an older man walked over and took their orders. She'd just finished her lecture and was in a desperate need for a coffee and after her friends had invited her for a coffee, she'd immediately accepted as her desperation began to take over her system. Turning her head, she smiled as her eyes found an older man sitting at the table beside theirs; his head down as he scribbled into a note book.

"Kate" Madison sighed, gaining her attention as the brunette smiled and laughed. "I've got to go, Sam's having a major issue with his work and wants my help" she explained, Kate nodding as she watched the blonde approach the exit and wave before leaving. Looking across at her other friend, Kate sighed as she realised that Hannah was about to leave by the amount of times she stared down at her watch.

"Have somewhere you need to go Hannah?" Kate asked quickly, the other blonde nodding as she looked up and excused herself; disappearing out of the exit just as fast as they arrived. Watching as her coffee was placed in front of her, Kate shut her eyes before hearing someone clear their throat beside her; her head moving to look across at the man who was staring at her. "Hi" she whispered, the man who'd previously writing moving closer as she bit into her lip.

"I thought you might want company, seeing that you're friends have disappeared in the space of a minute" he announced, the brunette nodding as she slowly stood up and brought her coffee over to his table.

"So what are you writing?" she asked, his eyes rolling before he looked down at the book he'd been scribbling in. "Is it a book?" she asked quickly, noticing how he'd set out the work he was doing.

"It's a scribble of a book" he sighed, shutting it before looking up and smiling. "You have amazing eyes" he blurted out as she bit into her lip. "Sorry I blurt things out sometimes, especially in front of beautiful women" he laughed; the brunette smiling at what he'd just admitted. Looking down at her watch, she groaned before reaching across to take a sip of her coffee. "Speed drinking, need to be somewhere?" he asked.

"Family thing tonight which I'm going to be late for" she moaned, the dark haired man nodding before she groaned. "Look, I've got to go but it was nice meeting you" she sighed, standing quickly before he scribbled something down and ripped out the piece of paper. "What's this?" Kate asked quickly as he handed her the scrap of paper.

"My number" he smiled, her eyes rolling before she looked down and laughed. "I'm Rick by the way, Richard Castle".

"Kate, Kate Beckett" she sighed before smiling and disappearing out of the coffee shop.

**I know this chapter was short but it was an introduction into the actual story so if you enjoyed, review. I know not much was given away but yeah I hope you enjoyed it. **

**Thanks Jessie. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the amazing response to the previous chapter. I'm glad that you're enjoying this idea and I hope you continue to enjoy it with this one. Please continue to review as I do love hearing about you and this is the first time I've ever written a story with Johanna Beckett in so I don't know what you think of my interpretation of her. **

She couldn't believe she was actually doing it! She was dialling the number of a man who was not only older than her but was a complete stranger. She knew her dad would have a field day if he found out that she was calling not only a boy but an actual man who she didn't know. Bringing the phone to her ear, she sighed as she rested back against the headboard of her bed and waited for him to answer.

"Hello" he finally answered; her smile growing as she waited for a moment. "Anyone there?" he asked quickly.

"Rick? It's Kate from the coffee shop" she smiled, the sigh of relief bringing a larger grin to her face as she looked across to see a shadow under the door. It was clearly her mother rather than her father as she could hear her father coming whenever he walked down the corridor while her mom had a gift for being able to sneak around unheard.

"The woman with the beautiful eyes and the abandoning friends, how could I forget?" he sighed, not realising how excited she was. "So Miss Beckett, I know you called me but I was wondering if maybe I could see you tomorrow" he smiled, shock covering her face before she bit into her lip. She didn't have anything on since Madison had cancelled their lunch plans to meet up with her boyfriend. "Kate?" he asked quickly. "We don't have too, I know I'm not exactly…" he began quickly.

"I'd love too" she sighed, stopping him as she relaxed back and looked across to see her mother's shadow still coming through under the gap of the door. "What about the coffee shop at one? I have some things to do in the morning" she explained, reaching across for one of her books.

"One o'clock in the coffee shop" he repeated before laughing. "I'll be the one scribbling in a notebook" he explained, her head nodding as she made a noise in agreement; knowing her mother was listening into her half of the conversation. "How was the family thing?" he asked, Kate laughing as she remembered why she'd left early.

"It was okay, my mom and dad had the evening off work for once so we had a nice dinner" she explained, the writer nodding as she sighed. "What about you? How's your evening been?" she responded, enjoying how easy it was to talk to him with.

"Exhausting, just been working on some ideas and my mother has come around to annoy me for the evening" he laughed, Kate smiling as she heard a smash down the line. "Look Kate, I've got to go however much I want to talk to you my mother is starting to destroy my apartment" he sighed, worried about what exactly his mother had broken.

"We'll talk tomorrow then, I hope you save your apartment from destruction" she muttered before look down at the book that was waiting to bed read. "Good night Rick" she smiled.

"Good night Kate" he replied quickly before she hung up and turned her head again to look at the door.

"You can come in now mom" she sighed, the door creaking open before Johanna Beckett entered the room with a large smile on her face. "You do know it's rude to listen into someone's conversation?" Kate smiled, her mother shrugging as she sat down at the end of her daughters bed.

"So who's Rick?" Johanna immediately asked, Kate's head shaking as she laughed at her mother's excitement. "Kate you tell me about every guy you like, so tell me about this one" she smiled, watching her daughter bite into her lip and shake her head again. "Come on Katie, tell me. Is he athletic? Funny? Clever?" she begged, Kate's eyes rolling as she shut her eyes.

"Rick's different to all the others" she sighed. "I don't like him like him; he's just a nice guy who I'd like to get to know better" she admitted, Johanna's head nodding slowly before she smirked.

"Is he good looking Kate?" her mom asked, Kate giggling before she slowly nodded and sighed.

"He's tall, quite dark hair and really handsome" Kate squealed, Johanna smirking as she watched her daughter laugh. "How do you do that? Get information out of me that I don't want you to know?" she asked before Johanna sighed and watched her daughter stare at her.

"Because I'm your mother and I have powers no one else has but don't tell your father that" the brunette sighed before standing up and pressing a kiss into her daughter's hair. "Good night Katie" Johanna smiled, Kate nodding quickly before she whispered goodnight; watching as her mother slowly walked out of the room and shut the door behind her.

XOXOXOXOX 

"So may I ask who Kate is?" Martha Rodgers asked as her son led her towards the couch, frustration covering his face as he thought about the smashed glass all over his kitchen floor. He loved his mother but the constant nightmare of her life slowly drove him crazy; especially when she decided to move in because her newest man had found someone younger.

"She's a girl I met in the coffee shop today while I was writing" he sighed, the redhead nodding as she relaxed on the couch. "And that's all you're finding out" he warned, Martha nodding before she groaned and covered her face with her hands. "Have you heard of limiting yourself mother?"

"Yes Richard but now is not the time for a lecture, it's the time for a drink" Martha smiled as he rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Tell me about this girl you met" she quickly smiled, shocking him by how fast she could change the conversation.

"She's a beautiful young woman with stunning eyes" he explained before standing up. "Now mother, I'm going to go and make you a bed and in the morning you're going to find somewhere to live that isn't my spare room" he explained.

"I have somewhere to live Richard, I just don't like the man I'm living with anymore. Would you like it if a woman swapped you for a younger model?" she commented, his eyes rolling before he disappeared into the other bedroom which the redhead often inhabited. "Tell me more about this girl, you're taking her out for lunch tomorrow" Martha begged, Rick groaning as he listened from the spare room.

"We're meeting up at the coffee shop and I might take her lunch depending on whether she'd like lunch or not" he explained quickly before sighing. "And no mother, it's not a date" he added, reappearing quickly to find his mother already fast asleep on the couch; his eyes rolling at her.


	3. Chapter 3

Running her fingers through her hair, she slowly entered the coffee shop to see him sat at the same table as the previous day; his head down while he wrote in the same notebook. Moving closer to the writer, she slowly pulled the chair out and sat down opposite him; his head slowly rising to see her smiling at him.

"Hello" he smiled, her head nodding slowly before she looked down at the notebook. Shutting it quickly, he sighed before slipping it into the bag he'd brought with him before sighing and staring at his watch. "Do you want to go and get lunch?" he asked, her head nodding again as she stood up and watched him join her. "I know this amazing place that does the best Chinese food in the world" he laughed.

"I'd like that" she admitted, the writer smiling as he led her out of the building and rested a hand on the small of her back gently; a small and almost silent gasp leaving her lips at the touch. "Chinese is my favourite food" she explained, the writer nodding as she allowed him to lead her down the street.

"Can you use chopsticks?" he immediately asked.

"Of course, can you?" she smiled, his head shaking as she laughed. "I'll teach you" she whispered, Rick beaming at the suggestion before he turned down another street and approached a small Chinese restaurant. "I've never been here before but we usually go to the same one by our apartment. Maybe I'll take you one day" she explained before following the writer inside and smiling at the dim light of the restaurant.

"Ah Mr Castle, your usual table?" a small man asked as Rick nodded and approached a table in the corner of the restaurant. "I'll come and take your orders in a minute" he explained before disappearing, Kate laughing as she sat opposite him and sighed; lifting the menu up so it was covering her face; Rick quickly doing the same.

"You come here often enough to have a usual table and yet you don't know how to use chopsticks" she laughed, the writer nodding as he moved to look out of the side of the menu to find her already watching him from the same position. "Well I know what I want" she smirked, relaxing back as she closed the menu and bit into her lip; her eyes locking on the writers. Repeating their orders to the waiter a few moments later, Rick sighed as he watched Kate play with a strand of her hair.

"Well we're going to be alone for a while" he smirked, her head nodding before he looked around. "Tell me about yourself" he begged, a small laugh leaving her lips as she rested back against the chair and stared at him.

"My name is Katherine Beckett but I'm rarely called Katherine, it's normally Kate" she explained, the writer nodding as he smiled at her. "I'm eighteen, I'm studying literature at college" she admitted; his smile growing as she bit into her lip. "I love books and I, oh I don't know Rick. I hate talking about myself" she groaned as he laughed at the frustration that covered her face. "Your turn Mr Castle".

"My name isn't actually Richard Castle, well it is but I was born Richard Alexander Rodgers and I changed it to Richard Edgar Castle" he admitted, Kate nodding slowly as she sighed. "I'm twenty six and a writer as you may have guess and well, I normally end up with my mother living with me" he laughed, Kate's eyes rolling as she sighed.

"Tell me about her" she begged, their meals brought over to them as she waited for him to answer.

"My mother is Martha Rodgers the actress, I wouldn't be surprised if you haven't heard of her but don't tell her that. She likes to think that the world revolves around her and she just left her newest partner because he's with a younger woman" he explained, Kate shaking her head as she reached for her chopsticks and noticed him staring at her.

"I'll teach you" she beamed, the writer smiling as she moved closer to him and helped him hold the chopsticks properly. Sitting beside her, he sighed as he slowly attempted to pick up the meal; both of them laughing as he dropped the piece of chicken down his shirt. "You always drop it the first time you try" she admitted.

"What about the second time?" he asked quickly, her shoulders shrugging before she began to eat the meal in front of her; watching as he continually attempted to use the alternative cutlery. Hearing him cheer, she grinned as she noticed him eating a piece of food finally. "You're a good teacher Kate" he sighed, Kate shrugging like he did before laughing and continuing to eat the food in front of her.

"What about your dad? What's he like?" she asked, desperately wanting to continue the conversation.

"He doesn't know about me and I don't know about him" he explained, the brunette staring at him in worry. Had she upset him? "He can be anything I want him to be and I like that" he sighed, Kate beaming as she noticed him grin at her. "What about your parents? What are they like?" he asked.

"My mom's a lawyer and she's a busy woman but she's amazing and I can't imagine my life without her. She's my best friend in a way, I tell her everything" Kate admitted lightly before noticing his eyebrows rise. "What?" she asked.

"Have you told her about me?" he asked, smiling at the expression that quickly covered her face. "You have" he laughed.

"She may have listened into our conversation last night" Kate smirked as the writer laughed. "And my dad is your typical dad I guess. He works hard, is madly in love with my mom and is so protective of us it hurts" she laughed, Rick nodding as he looked down. "What's wrong?" she asked, noticing the worry that covered his face. "Have I upset you?" she panicked.

"I have a daughter Kate" he admitted, shock covering her face as he pulled out his wallet and removed the photo from within it. "Alexis, she's just turned five" he sighed, passing the image to the brunette who immediately looked down at the smiling redhead. "Her mother and I were young and stupid; we made a mistake and gained the most beautiful little girl out of it. But it didn't work out between Meredith and I" he admitted, her head nodding slowly as she kept her eyes on the image she was holding. "You're freaking out".

"It's just crazy" she laughed. "I'm just coming to terms with the fact I've agreed to come out to lunch with a men eight years older than me and now you've turned into a father! My dad would have a heart attack if he found out about this" she laughed, desperately trying not to panic as she continued to stare at the image of the child and not up at the girl's father. "Where's Alexis now?"

"I have soul custody of her but mother is looking after her today as punishment for breaking one of my favourite glasses last night. Alexis' constant energy will teach my mother to limit herself hopefully" he explained, Kate nodding as she rested her head in her hands and groaned; her mind exploding with the new information. "Look Kate, I can understand if you don't want to see me again".

"Where did you get that idea from?" she panicked. "I don't want this to end because you have a child. We all have history and you just have an extra few years but I'm having fun today and that's more than I can usually say when I'm out with a guy" she admitted, shock covering his face this time. "Honestly, one guy on our first date took me to a boxing match so he could support his friend; I was so bored two hours in that I left to go home" she smirked before rolling her eyes. Watching as the waiter approached and Rick quickly paid for the meal, Kate sighed as they both stood up and stared at each other. "I guess I should be going" she admitted.

"You can always call me again if you like" he sighed, walking out of the restaurant with her beside him. "We could meet up for lunch again if you wanted too of course".

"Give me some time to process everything I learnt today" she whispered before moving closer to him. "And then I'll call you, I promise" she sighed, watching as he unzipped the bag he was holding and held out his notebook to her. "Rick?"

"I want you to read it if you want too of course! I need an honest opinion anyway and you seem like the most honest person I know" he sighed, smiling as she took hold of it and brought it close to her body. "Promise you'll call" he begged, a laugh leaving her lips as she nodded and stared into his eyes.

"I promise I'll call you" she giggled before leaning up and pressing a gentle kiss to his cheek. "Bye Rick" she sighed, moving to walk down the street as he watched her in amazement.

"Goodbye Kate" he called after her, a small laugh leaving her lips as she continued to walk home; both of them unable to think about what the kiss she'd given him meant.

**So what do you think? I'm not too sure but you're my readers! You tell me! **


	4. Chapter 4

"Kate you look exhausted" Jim Beckett commented as his daughter slowly entered the living room and sat down on the couch; yawning the moment she was seated. "Did you get any sleep last night?" he asked; her head shaking slowly as she felt around her for the nearby that her mom kept somewhere. "Then what were you doing?" he asked.

"Reading a really amazing book" she smiled, remembering how she hadn't been able to put the book down and in the end spent the whole night reading it; her mind fascinated by the plots and the twists involved. "Sleepy" she finally mumbled, dragging the blanket around herself before she sighed and rested her head on her pillow.

"Why couldn't you just put the book down and sleep like a normal person?" he asked, her head shaking as she kept her eyes closed.

"Because I wanted to finish it" she sighed, not telling her father that it now meant she could see the writer again and tell him everything she thought. "Are you going out?" she asked after opening her eyes to notice that he wasn't dressed in his pyjamas like most Sunday mornings.

"Your mother and I have that thing that I can't even remember the name of" Jim moaned, the sound of the shower stopping making Kate realise that her mother was actually still home. "Why hold a lawyer thing on Sunday morning I don't know; however much I love your mother I'd rather be asleep right now" he moaned before leaning across and pressing a kiss to his daughter's head. "You know the rules for when we're out".

"Dad, I'm eighteen and exhausted. I'm not going to be sneaking strange men into our house or drinking. You should know that by now" she laughed, her mother's footsteps increasing making her sigh. Entering the room, Johanna smiled as she noticed her exhausted daughter.

"What were you doing last night Katherine?" Johanna sighed.

"She did a you and read a whole book" Jim laughed, rolling his eyes quickly as Kate yawned again. "Why did I marry a book addict and have a daughter that's a book addict?" he sighed.

"Because you're a secret book addict too; I've woken up to find you still reading a book in the early hours of the morning" Johanna smirked before kissing his cheek. "Change your socks James Beckett, you're not wearing odd socks outside this house" she smiled, Kate giggling as she watched the interaction between her parents.

"I informed Kate of the rules" Jim informed as he exited the room, Johanna smirking as she looked at her daughter.

"So no sneaking Rick into the house then Kate" Johanna smiled, shock covering Kate's face as her father's head popped around the door.

"Rick whose Rick?" he asked quickly. "Why haven't I heard about this Rick?" he panicked.

"He's no one dad, mom's just being mom" she explained, glaring at her mother who laughed and quickly shrugged at her daughter. "Thanks mom for that" she sighed. "Anyway Rick's not like that, one he's a gentleman and two he's my friend. I don't like him like that mom" the brunette explained before pulling the blanket over her head. "Now let me sleep, I'm sleepy" she moaned, both her parents smiling at her comment before they approached the door.

"Get some rest Katie" Johanna sighed, the brunette nodding from under the blanket as she heard both her parents leave. Sitting up, she laughed as she ran her fingers through her hair while laughing. Half nine, was that too early to call him?

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

"I'm coming to get you" Rick screamed, chasing Alexis down the corridor as Martha yawned and dodged past them; attempting to not get hit by the screaming redhead and the laughing writer. Hearing the phone scream down the corridor, Martha sighed as she approached it slowly, her eyes focusing on her son and granddaughter who was now thrown over his shoulder while Rick span around. Picking it up, Martha sighed as she brought it to her ear slowly.

"Hello" the redhead smiled, sitting herself down on the chair as she waited for a response.

"Hi can I speak to Rick please? It's Kate" a female woman asked, Martha smiling as she waved her son over quickly.

"Of course, Rick it's Kate" she smiled, passing it to her son before she moved to join her granddaughter.

"Hello" Rick beamed, sitting himself down on the seat his mother had been previously sat in as he waited for a response.

"I read your book" the voice of Kate giggled as he smiled and waited for her to continue. "I read it all night; I'm not joking when I say I didn't get any sleep. It was amazing" she said, his excitement growing. "Rick honestly, it's going to be a best seller".

"Thank you" he sighed. "Does that mean I can see you again?" he asked, a small laugh leaving her lips at his obvious excitement. "Or do you need more time?" he added, hoping that she wouldn't.

"I'd like to see you again Rick" Kate sighed. "Are you free tomorrow night?" she asked, the writer sighing as he thought about whether he'd be able to persuade his mother to look after Alexis while he was gone. "We can do it another night if you want; but there's this movie I really want to see and I thought you might want to go with me" she sighed, the writer nodding quickly at the suggestion.

"I'd like that; I'm sure I can get mother to look after Alexis again" he laughed, watching as his daughter ran over and jumped onto his lap. "I could come and pick you up" he explained, hearing a sigh leave Kate's lips while Alexis poked his shoulder.

"I don't know, maybe if you come and get me at five" she sighed, his head slowly nodding as he ran his fingers through his daughters red hair while Alexis played with the buttons of his shirt; unbuttoning them into the wrong place.

"Five, it's a date" he exclaimed before they both fell silent. Was it really a date? "Umm, I mean…" he began.

"Rick it's fine, I guess it's sort of a date" she admitted, trying not to show her obvious nerves and excitement. "I mean, we're going to the movies and are going to have something to eat. People do that on first dates don't they?" she explained, the writer nodding again slowly.

"So I'm taking you on a date Miss Beckett?" he asked, looking across to see both redheads' staring at him in confusion. "Kate?"

"Do you want to date me?" she asked.

"You're a beautiful young woman and I like you, so yes I would like to perhaps take you on a date but the bigger question is whether you'd want to date me? I mean I'm the older man with a daughter already" he explained, Kate sighing as she listened to him. Was this what she wanted? Was she honestly ready to date an older man with a daughter? "Look it doesn't have to be kissing and a touchy date" he smiled. "We can get to know each other, maybe I can kiss your cheek at the end of the evening" he explained.

"I'd like that" she sighed, realising that it did sound nice to do that with him. "Yes, I guess I'd like to date you then" she explained before sighing. "I better go; I'm exhausted after reading your book" she giggled.

"Sleep tight Kate" he smiled, the two of them slowly whispering goodbye to each other before the writer hung up and stared at his daughter. "Guess who has a date tomorrow?" he smiled, Alexis cheering as she began to clap her hands and stare at him.

"Daddy does" she squealed, Martha rolling her eyes as she sat herself down on the couch and just watched the interaction between her family. "Is she pretty daddy?" she asked, Rick nodding as he slowly pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Not as pretty as my pumpkin but she is a beautiful woman. She's tall and she has dark hair and the most amazing eyes" he explained, Alexis nodding as she listened to him. "Is it alright for you to look after Alexis tomorrow mother?" he asked, the older redhead shrugging as she stared at her son.

"I can't exactly say no Richard, you already agreed to the date" she sighed before standing. "Are you going to make breakfast? It is Sunday?" the redhead smiled.

"Pancakes" Alexis screamed, her father slowly nodding as he stood up and approached the kitchen; unable to remove the smile from his face.

**So what do you think? I wanted to have some family time in this chapter just to give them some background so I hope you enjoyed it. Anyway please review. I love hearing from all of you and your response has honestly been amazing! It's wonderful that you're enjoying this story so much. **

**Jessie **


	5. Chapter 5

**Really this is just snippets of the date Kate and Rick are on so I hope you enjoy it. Also WOW and a huge THANK YOU for the amazing response. I was honestly shocked with the amount of amazing reviews I received and the positive response this story has gained from everyone. Please continue to review and tell me what you think. Anyway here's the story. **

Running out of the apartment building, Kate laughed as she noticed Rick stood beside his car; the biggest smile covering his face as she walked over and sighed. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a white shirt while she was in a knee length olive green dress; her dark hair curled and currently thrown over one shoulder.

"You look beautiful Kate" he smiled, her eyes rolling as he opened the car door and shut it after she'd slipped into the vehicle. "I thought Italian for dinner" he explained as he climbed into the car, her head nodding as she laughed and leaned across to press a kiss to her cheek. "What was that for?" he asked quickly.

"Just for being you, I've been excited about this all day" she smirked before leaning back and relaxing as he began to drive. "How's Alexis?" she asked.

"Amazing, she's been asking about you a lot actually. She wants to know everything about you" he laughed, Kate nodding as she stared at him in amazement. "She got so excited when you called; I couldn't get her to stop asking questions about what I was going to do tonight. She even chose my shirt for me, she's a little romantic" he admitted.

"Well she made an amazing choice" she admitted, twirling a piece of hair around her fingers as she began to look out of the window. "And you mother? How's she?" she added.

"Busy, she's just got the role in a play so she's rehearsing constantly" he explained before sighing. "But she still finds time to play with Alexis; although she'll kill me for admitting that Alexis has her wrapped around her finger" he sighed, Kate nodding slowly as they parked and he stepped out of the car; opening the door for her quickly. "How about your parents?" he asked.

"They're okay. Mom's working overtime tonight like most days and dad is out with friends" she admitted, this time his head nodding in response. "How are you Rick?" she asked.

"Nervous about this if I'm honest" he explained, Kate smiling as she found his hand and linked fingers with his before pressing another kiss to his cheek. "What was that for?"

"Stop being nervous, I want to be here with you Rick" she admitted, lifting their joined hands up gently so he could see them. "I don't care whether you're eight years older and have a daughter. Age is just a number" she smiled before laughing. "Now Italian".

"Yes Italian" he sighed, leading her into the restaurant as she bit into her lip. The excitement starting to take over her.

XOXOXOXOXOX

"I can't believe you did that" she squealed, laughing at his story about the police horse. "Naked, really?"

"I was drunk" he shrugged, her head shaking as she tried not to laugh again. "And I was in a bad place at that time but after my mother bailed me out, I went home and literally spent the whole day cuddled up with my baby" he sighed, clearly ashamed about what he'd done. "It'll be a story I tell her one day".

"I'm sure she'll find it funny" Kate sighed, staring down at their once again joined hands. "You're an amazing father Rick, she sounds like a wonderful little girl" she admitted before staring at him; the waiter quickly approaching with their bill. "Half and half?" she asked quickly.

"I pay for dinner, you pay for popcorn?" he suggested, her head shaking as he held the bill in his free hand; refusing to let her see it.

"Rick popcorn and an Italian dinner aren't the same price" she laughed, the writer shrugging gas he dug the money out and quickly paid for the meal; Kate's head shaking the whole time.

"You can buy a drink as well" he smirked, Kate sighing as she stood up and began to put her jacket on, the writer smiling as they approached the door together.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

"Why is that popcorn always tastes better when someone else buys it?" he asked, putting another piece into his mouth as she rolled her eyes and laughed as he quickly reached in for me.

"We'll have none left for the film" she commented, the writer shrugging as she laughed and moved the food away from him; a small groan leaving his lips as she giggled and replaced it back to where it had been earlier. Watching as the room darkened, Rick smiled as he felt Kate's hand searching for his; his own moving quickly to be held in hers. "I'm going to hide behind you if it gets scary" she whispered quickly, the writer laughing as he turned to look at her.

"Oh! I was going to do the same to you if it got scary but I guess we'll find somewhere of working it out" he smiled, Kate giggling as they both returned to look at the screen together; her hand clinging onto his as the dark images appeared on the screen.

XOXOXOXOXO

"It was an amazing film; although next time popcorn is staying on my lap" she laughed as they walked out of the building together; their hands still joined together.

"That wasn't my fault; it was a jumpy moment" he sighed, her eyes rolling before they approached the car and he looked down at his watch. "Half past eleven" he muttered, the brunette sighing as she dug into her purse and pulled out the notebook she'd brought with her. "Thanks" he whispered, taking it from her as she smiled.

"It was honestly amazing" she smiled before approaching her side of the car. "I wouldn't have stayed up all night if it wasn't a good book" she admitted, Rick nodding as they quickly entered the car and stared at each other. "Tonight's gone so fast" she admitted, not turning to look at him as she felt herself become embarrassed about what she'd just admitted.

"We can do it again" he smiled, her head nodding slowly as she watched him. "Maybe sometime this week" he suggested.

"I'd love too but you have no idea how much work I've been neglecting" she sighed, Rick nodding as he slowly began to drive; the idea of not seeing her all week scaring him.

"Then let's meet at the library one day, we'll both get our work done and then maybe I'll treat you to lunch" he suggested, Kate nodding as she looked out of the window to find herself outside her apartment building. "Tomorrow?" he asked.

"Perfect" she smiled before leaning across and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "Good night Rick" she whispered, the writer this time moving to kiss her cheek.

"Good night Kate, I'll see you tomorrow" he smiled, her head nodding as she slipped out of the car and ran to the door; waving at him as he began to drive away. Entering her apartment a few moments later, she sighed as she turned the light on and found her mother waiting for her; her arms crossed across her chest as she stood up.

"And where were you tonight?" she asked, Kate biting her lip as the older brunette raised her eyebrows. "Katie, there was a time when you told me everything" she began, Kate nodding as she looked around to hear her father snoring down the corridor.

"I was out with Rick" she began before adding "on a date". Watching her mother grin, Kate laughed as she removed her jacket and threw it across the couch. "We just went out for dinner and a movie, nothing major but it was a nice first date" she explained, moving towards her room slowly. "Night mom".

"Night Katie" Johanna sighed, watching as her daughter disappeared behind her bedroom door; the realisation that her daughter had finally grown up kicking her.

XOXOOXOOXOXO

"Daddy, daddy, daddy" Alexis screamed as the writer entered the apartment to find his daughter sat on the couch with Martha; the older redhead looking exhausted as she stared at him. "Daddy" Alexis squealed, running over to him quickly as he lifted her into his arms and laughed.

"What are you still doing up pumpkin?" he asked, noticing that his mother had somehow managed to get up and sneak upstairs without him noticing.

"I'm not tired" she laughed, her arms tightening around his neck as he nodded and slowly approached Alexis' bedroom.

"Did gram give you sugar?" he asked, her head nodding quickly as he rolled his eyes; realising why his mother had left so quickly. Entering the bedroom, Rick sighed as he flicked on the light and noticed that his daughter's bed was unmade and she'd clearly been in it at some point. "Daddy your date?" she asked quickly, Rick smiling as he sat down and watched his daughter crawl under the covers.

"We went for some pasta and then went to see a scary movie" he explained, Alexis watching him in amazement. "And I knocked all the popcorn over at a scary moment and Kate found it very funny" he admitted, Alexis giggling at the idea as Rick quickly pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Sleeping time Alexis Castle" he sighed.

"Night daddy" she yawned, Rick smiling as he stared at her for a moment.

"Night pumpkin" he sighed, turning the light off as he crept out of the room and approached his mother's room. "Mother I know you're awake and tomorrow we'll discuss the sugar issue" he explained, hearing a small groan from inside before he disappeared towards his own room; exhaustion taking over his body.

**So what do you think? **

**Jessie **


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for your amazing response for the last view chapters. It's honesty amazing to know that you guys love this story and I really adore everything you've said to me about this. This chapter should be longer and well, it features all the wonderful characters. Anyway please continue to review as I want to continue to hear everything you've got to say and any ideas you have I'll take into consideration and perhaps bring into the story. **

"Right that is it Rick, stop staring at me it's creepy" she groaned, slamming the book shut as Rick laughed and quickly apologised. "Maybe it's time we went and got lunch, I mean you're attention span is seriously low today" she smiled, standing quickly before she threw her books into her bag and laughed.

"Good idea" he smirked, her eyes rolling as she left the library with him. Finding his hand, Kate smiled as she grabbed hold of it and followed him down the road.

"So where are we going for lunch?" she asked, finding themselves at his car. "We're driving somewhere?" she questioned, his head nodding as he unlocked the car and they slipped in. "Are you going to tell me?" she asked, his head shaking quickly before she sighed and relaxed back in the passenger seat. "You've never surprised me before, you tell me everything".

"Well then it's time I started surprising you" he laughed, heading out of the city.

"I haven't got the wrong idea of you Mr Castle have I? You're not bringing me out of the city to kill me" she explained, both of them laughing as he shook his head. "Where are we going then?" she asked quickly, a small sigh leaving his lips as he stared at her.

"We're going for a picnic" he smiled, a laugh leaving her lips at the realisation.

"Oh okay" she sighed, relaxing back as she shut her eyes and just enjoyed the journey.

XOXOOXXOXO

Lying on the grass, she smiled as he continued to read the book she was studying out loud; his voice relaxing her but also bringing the book to life. She couldn't help but enjoy it. Opening her eyes, she sighed at the writer; concentration covering his face before she sat up and pressed a kiss to his cheek; stopping the writer from reading.

"I can't see you the rest of this week, I have lectures and work to do" she sighed, the writer groaning as she laughed gently and felt his hands sneak to her back. "You can always call me" she explained, the writer nodding as she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Every night if you really want too" she added.

"Won't your parents start to worry about the strange man who's calling you?" he asked; the brunette shrugging before she remained close to him; their eyes locking as she smiled. "I'll call you every night then" he promised, both of them laughing before she sighed and moved to grab the picnic he'd bought. "Hungry?"

"Starving" she giggle, removing the food before sighing and staring down at everything. "This looks amazing" she admitted, the writer shrugging quickly as she sighed and grabbed a cherry. "These are my favourite" Kate sighed, biting into the fruit gently as he watched in amazement.

"They're my favourite too especially now Kate" he laughed, Kate smiling as she finished the cherry and moved onto a second one. "Where do your parents think you are?" she asked quickly, her eyes shutting as she stared at him.

"Mom knows I'm with you and dad thinks I'm studying" she admitted, shock covering his face. "I told mom we went on a date and that we were meeting up today" she smiled before sighing and moving closer to him. "I don't want to hide you from my family seeing that we're dating and you're now my boyfriend".

"I'm your boyfriend am I?" he beamed. "Does that mean you're my girlfriend?" he asked; the brunette shrugging as she moved to lie on the blanket. Moving to do the same, he sighed as she grabbed his hand and squeezed it gently. "Mother's play opens in two weeks, come with me". Turning her head, she stared at him as she smiled and nodded slowly, moving closer to him slightly. "I know it's soon but I want you to meet my family then".

"Yes" she smiled, knowing she wanted to meet Martha and Alexis. "Yes I want to go with you" she laughed before relaxing and moving to lie on her side beside him. "Could we just stay here forever? It's so peaceful" she whispered, the smile growing on his face as he turned his head to look at her.

"I know what you mean" he muttered back, their eyes finding each other. "God you have beautiful eyes" he smiled, her cheeks turning red as she found herself giggling. "You're just beautiful in general Kate" he laughed, the brunette rolling onto her stomach before she rested her head on her hands. "Are you really my girlfriend?" he asked.

"Yes" she whispered, her eyes shutting as she relaxed on the grass.

XOXOXOXXOXOO

Sitting herself on her bed, she laughed as she heard the phone ring; her hand immediately grabbing it before bringing it to her ear.

"You literally called the moment you got home?" she giggled, knowing that it would be Rick.

"Well mother has taken Alexis out and the apartment is so big and silent so I thought why not call my girlfriend like she said I could" he smirked, another giggle leaving her lips as she relaxed on her bed and sighed. He was taking the girlfriend part of their relationship extremely serious and he seemed to repeat the word every few moments when he talked to her. "So what are you doing now?" he asked.

"Just sat on my bed" she smiled. "Thinking about how amazing these past few days have been" she added, knowing he'd be smiling at that comment. "What are you going to do tonight?" she asked.

"Spend some times with my daughter, probably take her out for dinner or something" he explained, Kate nodding at the idea. "She'll want to know all about you of course; you seem to be her favourite topic of conversation" he laughed, Kate sighing as she lay back on the bed. "Especially seeing that you're now my girlfriend Katherine".

"Rick you don't have to constantly repeat it. It's not like it's just going to go away because you don't say it" she explained, the writer groaning at the idea.

"But I like saying it" he moaned like a child, her eyes rolling before she sighed.

"One more time tonight" she whispered, hearing the apartment door open to indicate the return of her parents.

"Katherine Beckett, my girlfriend" he beamed before they both started to laugh. "Right I won't say it again till tomorrow" he blurted out, her head shaking in amusement as the door opened and Jim Beckett entered her bedroom.

"I've got to go" she smiled, the writer groaning as she laughed. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, I promise" she whispered, her father's eyebrows rising at the comment.

"Do you really have to go?" he asked quickly.

"Yes" she sighed, Rick groaning again before saying goodbye. "Bye" she smiled before putting the phone down. "Hi dad, have fun?" she beamed, the man shrugging before looking around.

"We're going out for dinner, we've decided we don't want to cook" he explained, Kate nodding as she stood up and followed him out of the room. "So who was that?" he asked, trying to sound casual but failing at it.

"A friend" she shrugged, walking ahead of him to grab her jacket.

XOXOXOXOXO 

Sitting in the restaurant, Kate sighed as she sat down with parents and laughed as her mom and dad began to debate over the best wine for their meals; her eyes rolling at them.

"Daddy hurry" she heard a voice squeal behind her; her head turning to see a young redhead stood beside an older woman while staring outside the door.

"Sorry pumpkin" he laughed, her eyes opening wider as she noticed that the man was Rick. Noticing his eyes lock on her, she bit into her lip as he quickly mouthed 'hello' at her; the brunette repeating the action before he was seated at the table next to her.

"Kate have you chosen what you want?" Jim asked, gaining her attention quickly as she nodded and repeated her choice to the waiter who'd arrived without her noticing. "Katie are you feeling okay?" he asked, her head nodding slowly.

"I'm fine dad" she explained before standing. "I'll be back in a second" she admitted, both her parents nodding at her as she disappeared towards the restrooms; neither of them noticing the man on the next table leaving as well.

"Kate" Rick whispered as he stopped outside the restrooms with her, a laugh leaving her lips as she stared at him in amazement. "You're here" he explained, her head nodding as she looked across to see their two families sat next to each other and yet looking so distant. "So I guess they're your mom and dad" he whispered, her head nodding again as she attempted to find something to say.

"And Alexis and your mother; Alexis is beautiful" she admitted, Rick smiling at her comment. "This is going to be awkward" she giggled, this time his head nodding as she bit into her lip.

"We'll cope" he sighed before pressing a kiss to her cheek. "I better go back before someone comes looking for me" he admitted, Kate nodding as she watched him walk away. Following him, she quickly sat down at her table and ran her fingers through her hair.

"You okay?" Johanna asked as Kate nodded once again and smiled.

"So how did the studying go today?" Jim asked, Kate groaning as she heard Rick laugh at the comment her father had made.

"Daddy?" Alexis asked.

"Sorry, I just remember something funny" Rick lied as Kate rolled her eyes.

"Studying went fine thanks dad; I found a new place to read my book that's a lot quieter than the library" Kate admitted. "I actually remembered to eat today as well; the cherries this year taste amazing" she explained as Jim nodded and smiled across at his wife who was watching their daughter in amazement.

"Daddy tell me about your date" Alexis announced from her table, Kate looking down quickly as she heard Rick laugh along with his mother. "Daddy please" the redhead begged.

"We read a book for a while" he admitted, Alexis staring at him as Kate listened to his explanation, glad that her parents were currently discussing work. "And then we had a picnic and I asked her to be my girlfriend" he explained, Kate smiling at the memory of how she'd brought it up rather than him. Hearing Kate clear her throat, Rick sighed before he stared at his daughter. "Okay I lie, she brought it up first" he sighed, Kate beaming at the comment.

"And? Is she your girlfriend daddy?" Alexis asked, leaning as far forward in her seat as she could.

"Yes baby she's my girlfriend" he smiled, Alexis squealing as Martha laughed. "And I have something else to tell you pumpkin" he admitted, Alexis nodding as she waited to hear. "She's coming with us on gram's opening night".

"I get to see her" Alexis laughed.

"Yeah Lex, you get to meet her" Rick smiled as Kate bit into her lip. Feeling someone kick her leg gently, she looked up to see her parents smiling at her.

"I remember the days when you were like that" Jim admitted. "My little Katie" he sighed, Kate's head shaking as she groaned. "Seems like years ago" he explained.

"It was years ago" Johanna and Kate both giggled.

"You're going to have to accept it one day Jim. Kate isn't a little girl anymore, she's a grown woman with feelings who's going to become more serious when it comes to relationships" she explained, Kate's head resting in her hands as she heard her mother's comment. She knew her mother wanted her to admit everything to her father but she wasn't ready for that. She wasn't ready for him to know.

"Right that's it, who's this Rick everyone's been talking about recently because I feel like I'm the one missing out on a vital piece of information" Jim laughed as Kate bit into her lip; glad the waiter had just arrived with their food. "So are you going to tell me?" he asked, putting a piece of steak into his mouth.

"He's my boyfriend" Kate announced, shock covering her face as her father began to choke; her head turning to look at Rick who was staring at her with a worried expression. "Dad are you okay?" she asked.

"Kate you're too young to have a boyfriend, especially one we don't even know about. What else are you doing with this guy? Actually what have you been doing in general recently seeing that we have no idea where you've been or who with over the last few days?" he blurted out, frustration covering his face as she glared at him.

"Dad I'm eighteen years old and…" she announced, worry covering Johanna's face as she began to think about all the possible things Kate could say.

"Kate why don't you go and calm down for a moment?" Johanna suggested, Kate nodding as she slowly walked towards the door and left the restaurant.

"I'll be right back, I think I forgot to lock the car" Rick blurted out, Martha's eyes rolling as he disappeared out of the restaurant. "Kate?" he asked, entering the small alley he'd noticed her in. "Want to talk?" he whispered, approaching her slowly.

"Why don't we just go in there and make out? That would make him choke" she blurted out, his hand finding hers as she rested her head against his chest. "I'm eighteen, I'm happy with you so why can't he just get over this? It's not like we're having sex, we haven't even kissed" she moaned.

"You're his little girl; it's his job to be protective. I'll be terrible when it comes to Alexis" he sighed, Kate nodding slowly as he rested his hands on the small of her back. "I told you Alexis was excited about you" he laughed, Kate smiling at his comment.

"She's so lovely" Kate admitted. "What should I do Rick? About my dad" she asked.

"Apologise for getting angry" he sighed, his finger brushing across her cheek as she bit into her lip. "Tell him that you understand that he wants what's best for you but at some point you have to grow up and start your own adventures. Then briefly mention that we're serious and are going slow and that we haven't even kissed, don't mention sex though because no man wants to think about his daughter doing that" he smiled, kissing her cheek gently as she hugged him.

"Kate" Johanna's voice called out, shock covering Kate's face as she moved away from him as fast as she possibly could. "Kate? What's going on?" the older woman asked as she stared at her daughter who was standing with a stranger.

"I tripped, he was helping me" Kate explained. "Thanks" she smiled at Rick, the writer nodding before he walked out of the alley and back into the restaurant; Kate and Johanna following slowly.

"Kate?" Jim asked.

"Dad, I'm sorry for getting angry at you" she sighed, looking across at the writer who smiled at her and returned to his meal. "And I know you just want what's best for me but I'm eighteen years old and I'm in college now. I'm starting my own life and I need to go out and find myself" she explained, staring at her father as he watched her. "Daddy, I'm always going to be your little girl but I'm also a woman. Rick means a lot to me and he makes me happy and we're really serious about each other and we're going slow".

"Slow?" Jim repeated.

"We hold hands and kiss cheeks" she explained. "We haven't even got close to kissing properly" she smiled. "And that's oaky because we're having fun getting to know each other and I know Rick would never make me do anything that I'm uncomfortable with" she explained, leaning back in her seat as she beamed. "So I'd really love it if you could just try and be happy for me. I don't want you to stop worrying because it's your job as my dad but at least let me do what makes me happy".

"He really makes you that happy?" Jim asked as she nodded and sighed. "And he's not pushing you?" he questioned.

"No he's a gentleman dad. The sort of man who pulls your chair out at a restaurant and wants to walk you to your door after a date" she smiled before the older man nodded and relaxed.

"I guess I can't argue if he makes you this happy" he explained, Kate beaming at his comment as she gently looked across to see a smile appear across Rick's face. "There has to be something about him I won't like though" he joked; both Kate and Rick immediately thinking about the age difference and the five year old girl who was currently battling with spaghetti.

**So what do you think? **

**Jessie **


	7. Chapter 7

**I have no idea where this chapter came from but here it is! I'm so sorry that I haven't updated by I have four pieces of English coursework due in over the next few weeks so hopefully this chapter will give you something while I attempt to get over the massive work load I've just been given. Thank you so much for your amazing response and I hope you continue to review, private message and add this to your favourites and alerts. It does mean so much to me and it always cheers me up when I'm attempting to work through English Literature and English Language work! **

Tapping on the door of his apartment, Kate slowly relaxed as the door opened and Rick beamed at her. She was dressed in her Yankee's jersey with a pair of jeans; her dark hair pulled back under the Yankee's cap she had on her head. His mother and Alexis had gone shopping and he'd decided to ask her if she wanted to watch the game, unaware of how much of a Yankee's fan she actually was.

"That is so awesome, you're a Yankee's fan too" he smirked, a laugh leaving her lips before she allowed him to lead her into his apartment. Her mother was working and her dad was watching the game with his friends so she'd jumped at the opportunity to watch the game with her boyfriend when he'd asked the previous night during their evening phone calls. They'd been calling each other every night since the eventful dinner. Often the phone calls were quite short because of other commitments; usually Alexis needing a bed time story or Kate having to work but the previous night had been the longest conversation yet and they'd both been desperate to see each other again. "You look amazing Kate" he admitted, a small giggle leaving her lips as she sat down and relaxed into the corner of the couch. "I made snacks, I wasn't too sure what you liked so I made everything" he laughed.

"Cool" she smiled, watching as he brought over the selection of food before sitting himself down by her feet. Resting them on his lap, she smiled as he removed the shoes and chucked them onto the floor. "Games on" she whispered, his head nodding as he began to massage her feet gently; her smile growing at the feeling. Everything just seemed so right! Being on the couch with him watching the match just seemed normal and she loved knowing she felt so secure in this relationship. "Where did you learn to do that?" she asked, staring down at him massaging her feet before he shrugged and watched her return her attention back to the television.

XOXOXOXOXOXOOX

Flicking the front of her cap, he laughed as he stood up and went to collect the pizza he'd ordered; Kate's eyes following him across the room as he quickly paid and returned with the box. Stopping as he reached her, he stared at her for a moment; taking in the sight of the brunette curled up on his couch in her Yankee's outfit, the biggest smile covering her face. She just fitted there like she was supposed to be there.

"Pizza" he whispered, Kate nodding as she sat up and crossed her legs; the writer moving to sit on the couch and place the box in between them both. "Alexis is so excited about tomorrow, she can't wait to finally meet you and mother's excited as well" he explained, thinking about the meal and theatre evening they had planned for the following evening. Grabbing a slice of the pizza, Kate nodded as she relaxed back in her seat and sighed.

"Alexis will like me won't she? I don't want her to hate me" Kate admitted, the writer shaking his head quickly as he reached across and found her hand. "I mean if she hates me you're not going to want to see me again are you? She's your daughter, she's the most important thing in your life and she comes first" the brunette explained, a small laugh leaving his lips as he moved the box and brought himself closer to her. "She's going to hate me isn't she?" she blurted out, the panic on her face making him laugh.

"Kate, my daughter is going to love you" he explained, running his hand to her cheek as she shut her eyes. "You're beautiful and funny and extremely kind. You're the first woman I've ever dated who has seen her as the most important thing in my life and also acknowledged her in our relationship" he smiled, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead. "Kate, Alexis means the world to me. She's my baby and she will always come first but you're important to me too. I've really missed you this week" he admitted, her head nodding slowly as she locked eyes with him.

"I've hated it" she commented, her arms wrapping around his neck slowly as he moved further back to allow her closer. "We can't go that long without seeing each other again; I've really hated it" she sighed, her forehead resting against his as her breathing began to slow down. "I visited our coffee shop a couple of times but you weren't there. I did work at our table and hoped you'd walk through the door" she explained, not moving away as his hands slipped to her back and she moved closer to him; his hand bringing her even nearer to his body. "I've never been like this before. I've never needed to see someone that badly before".

"I know" he whispered, their eyes locking as his fingers began to play with the bottom of her jersey. Tightening her arms around his neck, she slowly began to bring her lips closer to his; her eyes shutting as she found herself moving closer. She was going to do this!

"Daddy, I'm back" a voice screamed, pulling her away from him in shock as Rick groaned and stood up; the small redhead running across the room and jumping onto his lap as Kate smiled.

"Hey pumpkin, I thought you were shopping" he explained, looking across to Kate who was looking down with a blush covering her cheeks. Hearing the door shut, he watched as his mother walked over and dropped the collection of bags onto the floor before collapsing into a nearby chair; his eyebrows rising. "So what happened to shopping all day?"

"Someone started to get bored" Martha admitted, keeping her eyes shut as Rick rolled his eyes and looked down at his daughter to see her staring across at Kate.

"Daddy?" Alexis asked, Rick smiling as Kate looked across and bit into her lip. Kneeling up, Alexis moved closer to her father's ear. "Daddy there's a girl on the couch" she whispered into his ear, Rick laughing as he nodded and smiled.

"Pumpkin this is Kate" he introduced, Martha sitting up quickly as she looked across at the woman. "Kate this is my daughter Alexis and my mother Martha. I guess we're a day early on the introductions but oh well" he smirked, Kate nodding as she smiled across at Alexis who was beaming at her in amusement.

"It's nice to meet you Alexis, I've heard a lot of things about you" Kate smiled as Alexis moved off her father's lap and sat herself in between Rick and Kate. Shaking Kate's hand, the redhead smiled before she knelt up and kept her eyes on Kate who quickly laughed and looked across at Rick who was just shaking his head in amusement. "Have I got something on my face?" Kate asked, the redhead shaking her head quickly before she smiled.

"You're pretty" Alexis shrugged before relaxing back and looking across at her grandmother. "Gram she is real" the redhead teased as Martha laughed and looked at the brunette who was laughing at the younger redhead's comment.

"It's lovely to finally meet you Kate, Rick hasn't stopped talking about you for weeks" Martha explained as Kate raised her eyebrows and looked across at the writer. "Good things I promise. The only bad thing I heard was that he hasn't seen you all week" she laughed, the brunette smirking as she leaned across and pressed a kiss to the writer's cheek.

"Thank you" she whispered in his ear before sitting back down and listening to Alexis recite everything she'd bought when she was shopping.

XOOXOXOXOXO 

"Daddy you're all messy" Alexis giggled as she noticed the pizza sauce that covered Rick's shirt; Kate smiling as she stood beside the redhead and rolled her eyes. After their meeting, Martha had disappeared to rehearse and after a few Disney movies they'd decided to make pizzas'; Kate unable to force herself away from the family. Feeling Alexis' arms wrap around her legs, Kate sighed as she looked down at the child before looking at Rick. "Silly daddy" Alexis commented, shaking her head as Kate nodded.

"Silly daddy I know" Kate smiled, Rick's eyes rolling before he continued to make the pizza's for the three of them. "That's not going to come out Rick" Kate commented, the writer shrugging before he relaxed and put the pizzas in the oven; relaxing the moment he shut the door.

"You better run from the pizza monster" Rick smiled, Alexis squealing before she ran off; Kate's head shaking as the writer wrapped his arms around her and relaxed. "She loves you already " he whispered in her ear, the brunette nodding as she noticed the redhead who was hiding behind the couch; her head occasionally poking out to look for her father. "I'm sorry that they interrupted earlier" he whispered, her head nodding before she turned to face him; her fingers running across his flour covered his cheeks.

"I don't care. She's a beautiful little girl and she's a lot of fun" Kate smirked, Rick nodding as he tightened his grip around her; the sound of Alexis running off towards her bedroom making them both relax.

"Tell me if you don't want me to do this Kate" he whispered, her head shaking as she cupped his cheek.

"I want you to do it" she smiled, the writer nodding as he moved closer and slowly moved his lips to hers; hers greeting him in the same excitement that he was feeling. Tightening their grips around each other, they continued to kiss; their eyes shut as she moaned into his mouth while he continued to deepen the kiss. They wanted this. They needed this from each other.

"Daddy" Alexis screamed, pulling them away from each other as he turned to see the room empty before noticing that his daughter had called from her bedroom.

"She wants you, go" Kate smiled, a groan leaving his lips as he removed his arms from around her. Grabbing his hand before he left, Kate bit into her lip as he watched her in confusion. "That was perfect, thank you" she whispered, the writer smirking before he leant across and pressed a gentle kiss against her lips before running off; a small laugh leaving her lips before she turned on the spot and squealed. She'd just kissed Richard Castle!

**So they've had their first kiss and Kate's met Martha and Alexis unexpectedly. I hope you enjoyed and please review. I love every comment I get. **

**Jessie **


	8. Chapter 8

Staring at her as she stepped out of the apartment, he felt his mouth drop at the shock of what she looked like. She was dressed in a royal blue dress; her dark hair curled as her smile grew before she ran over to him and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, his own finding her waist as their lips found each other.

"You look extraordinary" he smiled, a laugh leaving her lips as she looked at him. "Are we really greeting each other with kisses now?" he asked; her head nodding as she relaxed in his arms and giggled lightly. "Alexis is in the car" he explained, her hand finding his as she approached the vehicle with him to see the little girl sitting in the back. Climbing into the passenger seat, Kate sighed as she turned to look at the redhead behind her.

"Kate" Alexis smiled; the brunette nodding as she took in the blue dress that Alexis was also wearing. The colour was similar to the dress she was wearing herself and she couldn't help but laugh over the similarities between the two of their outfits.

"Hey" Kate smirked before the car fell silent and she relaxed in her seat.

"My two beautiful ladies in blue" Rick commented, Kate's eyes rolling as Alexis giggled. "What? It's true" he smiled, reaching across to hold her hand for a moment as they waited in traffic. "I missed you" he admitted, her head nodding as their hands separated.

"Rick there's something I need to ask you" Kate explained as he nodded and smiled at her for a brief moment. "My parents want to meet you. They know that we're serious now and they wanted me to ask you to dinner on Saturday" she smiled, shock covering his face as he quickly parked and turned to see Alexis playing with her hair in the back of the car.

"Yes" Rick whispered, Kate laughing as she relaxed and began to climb out of the car. Helping Alexis out of the back, the brunette smiled as she felt Rick's eyes on her, amusement covering her face. "Where have you been all my life?" he asked, Kate laughing as she held onto Alexis' hand and stared at him.

"Mainly in school, for eight years of it I wasn't even born yet" she giggled, his eyes rolling as he walked over and kissed her gently.

"Ewwww" Alexis squealed, forcing the two apart. "Yuck stop" she added, Rick laughing as he lifted the redhead into his arms and pressed a kiss to his daughter's cheek; Kate watching with the biggest grin on her face. She wasn't afraid like she thought she'd be. Everything seemed wonderful and she loved it!

"Come on pumpkin we'll be late" he smirked, Alexis nodding as her feet touched the ground again and she clung onto both Rick and Kate's hands. Entering the theatre a few moments later, Rick smiled as he felt Alexis cling onto his hand before they entered the main auditorium and found their seats; Rick in the middle of Kate and Alexis who were both smiling as the room darkened and the performance began.

XOXOXOXOXO

"Here I'll take her" Kate smiled, Rick nodding as he watched Kate disappear off with the young redhead; his smile growing at the way Alexis clutched onto the brunette's hand. Not ever wanting to let her go. Entering the restrooms, Kate smiled as Alexis entered one of the cubicles; her attention turning to her reflection in the mirror.

"Kate" a voice said behind her, confusion covering her face as she turned to see Madison standing behind her with a massive smirk on her face. "I haven't seen you in a while, I was beginning to think that you didn't exist anymore" the blonde explained as Kate shrugged and heard the door open; Alexis reappearing as she approached the sinks and began to wash her hands. "I didn't think you liked the theatre" the blonde admitted.

"I'm here with a friend tonight" she explained, smiling when she felt the redhead grab her hand. "You ready to go Lex?" Kate asked; the redhead nodding as Madison stared in shock at the little girl who was holding onto her friend's hand. "It was nice seeing you, we'll have to arrange something soon" Kate smiled before leaving the room with Alexis.

"Who's that?" Alexis asked as Kate sighed and looked down at the child.

"Just a friend of mine Lex" the brunette smiled as she heard the door open behind her; her head looking back to see Madison watching her. Seeing them approach, Rick quickly stood and allowed his daughter to pass before Kate found his hand and clung to him. "Madison's here, she saw me with Alexis" she explained.

"So?" he asked.

"She's a gossip, she'll tell everyone about us" she moaned. "I don't want everyone thinking bad things about you and Alexis; you don't deserve that sort of attention" she smirked, his head shaking as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "If she tells my parents…" she whispered, his lips moving to hers to silence her.

"Then they'll find out what we're going to tell them on Saturday anyway" he smiled onto her lips as she stared at him in silence. "I'm not ashamed of us Kate. This relationship means so much to me and what's eight years difference when we care about each other as much as I care about you" he explained, Kate nodding as they both sat down to see Alexis staring at them in shock.

"Stop kissing it's eww" she giggled, Kate smiled as she rolled her eyes and felt Rick's hand hold hers as the room once again darkened.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

"Martha that was amazing" Kate smiled as the redhead shrugged and quickly hugged her; the brunette sighing as she moved away and watched the younger redhead throw her arms around her grandmother. Feeling Rick's arms sneak around her, she relaxed in his hold as she shut her eyes and enjoyed the silence for a moment.

"Stop worrying" he whispered into her ear before pressing a kiss against her hair. "You smell like cherries" he smirked as she turned her head to look at him. "I like it, it makes you even more extraordinary Katie" he smiled, a giggle leaving her lips as Rick slowly moved away and lifted his half asleep daughter into his arms. "We better get you home Kate".

"I guess so" she groaned, not wanting the evening to end. It was her dream evening and it had felt like it had sped past her. "I don't want tonight to ever end" she admitted as they approached the car, Martha staying to celebrate with her co-stars.

"I have to take you home Kate; your parents will worry and probably accuse me of kidnapping or something" he laughed, Kate's eyes rolling as she sat in the passenger seat and turned to see Alexis already fast asleep. "Always happens when mother has an opening night".

"She's such a beautiful little girl Rick" she sighed, her eyes remaining on the redhead as he began to drive towards her home. "Can I see you tomorrow? I'll bring breakfast if I have too. I just want to see you" she giggled, the writer laughing at her desperation.

"How can I say no to my gorgeous girlfriend and breakfast?" he smiled, her eyes rolling as they finally reached her apartment building. Watching her hand run to the door, he quickly grabbed her free one, gaining her attention quickly. "Kiss goodbye?" he asked, her head nodding as she moved closer and allowed him to take what he wanted; their lips passionately moving together.

"Kiss goodnight?" she asked after they pulled away from each other; their lips finding each other's again as her hands moved to rest against her chest. "I don't want to leave" she whispered onto his lips, a small laugh exiting his mouth before he kissed her again and then slowly moved away. "Breakfast tomorrow" she promised.

"I'll see you then" he beamed, the brunette nodding as she climbed out of the car and approached the door; her head turning to see him watching her from the car.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Entering her apartment, Kate smiled as she noticed her mom sat at the table working; exhaustion covering the older woman's face as Kate sat down on a spare chair and smiled at the other brunette.

"There's this thing called sleep mom. It's supposed to be really good for you" Kate teased. "You do it when you're tired and it stops you feeling low like now" she admitted, Johanna laughed gently before she yawned and relaxed back in her chair.

"How was your date?" her mom asked, attempting not to yawn again as Kate smiled. "You kissed yet?"

"We kissed yesterday when I was at his watching the game" she admitted, remembering the comfort she'd felt in kissing him. "But we kissed again tonight, we kissed a lot actually" she giggled, her mother nodding as Kate sighed. "He's agreed to meet you on Saturday".

"Good" the older brunette admitted.

"Mom did you ever know a guy who made you have butterflies in your stomach and seemed to care about you more than anything in the world?" she asked, Johanna nodding as Kate stared at her. "What happened between you both?" Kate asked.

"I married him, had a beautiful little girl and still love him to this day" Johanna recalled, Kate nodding as she bit into her lip and stood up; pressing a kiss to her mom's head before she moved towards her bedroom. "He makes you happy doesn't he Kate?" the brunette asked as Kate turned and yawned.

"Yeah, he makes me really happy mom" Kate admitted, moving towards her bedroom quickly saying goodnight before she entered her bedroom and fell onto her bed giggling.

**So what do you think? Please review, I do love hearing from you. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Yet another chapter and guess what! I got a new laptop so I'm able to update a lot more. Thank you so much for the amazing amount of reviews this story has received and I don't think I can praise you lot enough for all the positive comments you've said about this. I'd love to give something back to you all so if there's anything you'd like to see happen; tell me and I'll try and fit it in to this story! Anyway thanks and continue enjoying and reviewing! **

Hearing a knock at his apartment door, he yawned as he walked out of his bedroom dressed in his pyjamas, his hair all over the place as he ran his hand through it and desperately attempted not to yawn again. Approaching the door, he smiled as he opened it to find Kate standing there nervously; dressed in a pair of jeans and a sweater, her dark haired tied back from her face. She looked perfect. Moving closer, he smiled as he gently pressed a kiss to her lips and felt her relax into it. She was perfect.

"Good morning" he smiled, Kate nodding quickly as she took his hand and followed him into the silent apartment. "Alexis is still in bed and I don't think mother came home last night so we're the only ones alive right now" he explained, the brunette nodding as she watched him enter the kitchen and begin to prepare some coffee. Sitting herself down on a nearby seat, she just watched as he finished making the coffee and brought one over to her. "Coffee for the beautiful woman" he smirked.

"We seem to always meet over coffee" she giggled before leaning forward and kissing him gently. "I'm sorry if I woke you up it's just mom was up early and I thought I would come and see you like we planned" she explained as the writer took the seat next to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. Watching her yawn, the writer laughed as he pulled his arms around her and felt her bury her head against his chest. "Sorry I should have slept a bit more" she mumbled against him, enjoying the feeling of his arms around her. "I was just excited to see you again".

"Well, I'm glad you came over" he smiled, pressing a kiss into her cherry scented hair before he relaxed "Want to go and cuddle in bed?" he asked, a small nod answering him before he took a sip of his drink and stood up. "I promise, nothing more than cuddling maybe a few kisses but I'm not forcing you into doing anything you feel uncomfortable doing" he explained, her head nodding again as she began to follow him down the corridor and into the dark room. Finding his bed, she smiled as she lay down on it and his arms wrapped around her. "You okay?" he asked quickly.

"I'm fine, perfect actually" she smirked before leaning up and kissing him.

"Twenty questions?" he asked; her head nodding quickly as he turned on one of the lights and stared at her. "Favourite holiday?" he asked, concentration covering her face as she began to think about how to answer. "Kate it's not like I'm asking you to list pie" he smiled, her eyes rolling at his comment.

"I went to Florida with my parents once. Mom wasn't working for a week so we went on holiday; we spent the whole time on the beach and my dad lost the keys to the car on the sand. We were looking for hours to find them and mom was furious with him" she explained, laughing at the memory as Rick smirked. "Your favourite holiday?" she asked.

"The first time I took Alexis to the house in the Hamptons" he explained, noticing the shock on her face. "I hadn't told you about that" he smiled, her head shaking as he laughed and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "Anyway, she was about three years old and she was so excited about the ocean that she spent hours just watching it but she refused to go in. When I asked why, I found out that mother had been teasing her about sharks and she was terrified" he explained, Kate's teeth sinking into her lip as she attempted not to laugh at his memory. "So being the amazing father that I was, I made my mother go in as far as she could and prove that there were no sharks around" he admitted, Kate smiling as she cuddled up against him. "I couldn't get Alexis out of the water after that" he sighed. "Most embarrassing moment?" he asked.

"I had Madison over once and my dad was walking around the house in his boxers. I was so humiliated and it didn't help Madison started flirting with my dad. I don't even know why she did because he's not that good looking but she just flirted with him for ages; he was completely oblivious to what was going on. Mom walked in from work and found him and dragged him out of the room as quickly as possible" she explained, her head shaking as Rick lay on the bed in hysterics. "It's not funny Rick, Madison brings it up all the time especially around new people" she groaned, remembering the constant humiliation she received because of that particular event. "Your most embarrassing moment?"

"Having to get my mom to bail me out of a cell because I'd been arrested for indecent exposure" he admitted, shutting his eyes quickly as she moved to stared at him. "I was embarrassed about having to call her and explain what I'd done but I was distraught when she walked in with my one year old daughter in her pyjamas half asleep. I just clung to her the whole way home and I promised her that I'd never do anything as stupid as that again" he explained, opening his eyes to find Kate staring at him with a small smile on her face. "Biggest fear?" he asked.

"My parents seeing me as a failure, especially my mom" she sighed, shock covering his face as she looked up at him. "I went through a phase where I was just horrible and well, I could see her disappointment whenever I turned up home and just moaned. I wouldn't work and I regret that because I had so much to do when it came to the exams but it was the look on her face. I wanted to be like all my friends who were out with their boyfriends and drinking and she just looked so disappointment every time she found me with a hangover" she explained, shutting her eyes as he brought her close. "When I stopped attempting to be like everyone else I just began to live my life again and then I met you" she explained, lacing her finger with his before she relaxed against his chest. "Your biggest fear?" she asked gently.

"Failing Alexis" he sighed. "I failed at keeping my marriage and she was devastated when her mother left although she didn't fully understand and from then on I've been terrified that everything I do is wrong" he explained, Kate's head shaking as she kissed him.

"You're an amazing father Rick, everyone can see it just from looking at the two of you for a moment" she smiled, the door creaking open as Alexis appeared and jumped on the bed; her arms immediately wrapping around Kate. "Hey Lex" Kate smirked as she looked down at the child who was cuddled up against her.

"You're here" Alexis squealed as Kate nodded, feeling the child move away from her slowly. "Daddy said you'd be here" the redhead smiled as Kate turned to look at the writer who shrugged before wrapping his arms around the redhead. "Daddy" Alexis giggled. "Kate's here".

"Hey pumpkin" he smiled, pressing a kiss into her hair as Kate watched in amusement. "You have a fan Kate" he smirked as the brunette nodded.

"Who's the best daddy in the world Alexis?" Kate asked as she thought about everything Rick had just told her. Watching as Alexis looked up, the brunette beamed as the child quickly tightened her arms around Rick and laughed.

"My daddy" Alexis cheered, Rick smiling as he held his daughter close and looked up at the woman who was smiling at him. "Daddy, daddy, daddy" Alexis began, sitting up quickly as the writer nodded. "Pancakes" the redhead beamed.

"I guess I could manage pancakes today" Rick laughed, climbing out of the bed as both Kate and Alexis cheered at the idea.

XOOXOXOXOXO

Sitting on the floor with the two women, Rick smiled as Kate moved and rested against him as Alexis continued to attempt to read the book out loud. Breakfast had gone perfectly with Rick cooking and Kate sneaking in occasionally with the redhead to steal fruit behind his back while had gone well until Rick caught them and ended up tickling Kate until she apologised. Hearing the door open, all three of them smiled at the sight of the older redhead who had entered the apartment.

"Goodnight" Martha yawned, approaching the stairs as Kate giggled into Rick's chest. "Oh hello Kate" Martha smiled as she noticed the woman who was curled up against her smirking son.

"Long night mother?" Rick asked as his mother almost tripped over one of the steps on her way up them.

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answer for Richard" Martha explained before disappearing out of sight.

"Why don't we go to the park and let gram sleep?" Rick asked the redhead who immediately nodded and ran off in search of her coat. "You're going to come with us aren't you?" he asked as Kate stared at him and slowly began to nod; the two of them standing as Alexis appeared in her coat while attempting to put her gloves on.

"Daddy" the child moaned as she tried to put her fingers into the right places. "Doesn't work" she hissed, her arms crossing across her chest as Rick shook his head and moved to help his daughter. Watching the interaction, Kate sighed as Rick finished with Alexis' gloves and pressed a kiss to her forehead before standing up and taking his daughters hand in one and Kate's in the other. "The park" Alexis demanded, Kate laughing as she felt herself relaxing into the situation.

XOOXOXOXOX

Watching as Alexis ran off towards the park while remaining where her father could see her, Kate sighed as she sat on a nearby bench and felt the writer move closer to her; his arm sneaking around her hips. It was strange that everything seemed so natural to her and now she didn't seem to care who saw her. She wanted to be seen with him. She wanted people to walk past and see her cuddled up beside her boyfriend while they watched his daughter play with other children because they were the people that made her happy.

"Favourite childhood memory?" he whispered in her ear, making her laugh at the memory of the game that had ended when Alexis had ran into the room and demanded pancakes from her father and cuddles from Kate.

"Mom used to take me into work sometimes with her. She wasn't supposed to but it was only for a couple of hours when the girl who looked after me couldn't make it and my dad was still at work. She'd sit me in the chair beside her desk and I would just watch her work for ages. She was my favourite person to watch when I was younger because she never stopped doing things and I wanted to be so much like my mom when I grew up" she explained, remembering how she'd sit beside her mother and be quiet the whole day dreaming of the days when she'd be just like her mom in her own office. "What's your favourite memory?" she asked, turning her head so she could look at him while he changed his focus occasionally from his daughter to her.

"Sitting at work with my mom as well actually" he laughed as Kate nodded, brushing a stray piece of hair away from her face as she listened to him. "She didn't work in an office but I used to sit in the wings of every performance and watch her. Sometimes I enjoyed the shows she was in, other times I would sneak off and read a book somewhere because I was bored. One time, I fell asleep and she thought she lost me; screamed the whole theatre down practically before a man found me. I just remember seeing the complete worry that covered her face" he smirked as Kate nodded. "I was a nightmare from that moment on" he added, Kate laughing as she moved closer to him and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"I don't doubt that" she smirked, laughing as Alexis ran back over and sat beside them; forcing them apart.

"So where are we going to dinner tomorrow?" Rick asked as Kate stared at him. "I need to know so I can get there Kate" he explained, noticing the worry that covered her face at the thought of the dinner with her parents. "It won't be that bad" he promised, taking her hand in his before he pressed a kiss against her knuckles. "Trust me, the evening will go perfectly fine" he smiled, Kate nodding slowly in an attempt to convince herself of the fact.

**Will the dinner go fine?**

**Thank you for reading and remember, any ideas you have for this story or anything that you want to see please tell me and I'll see if I can get it in there and I appreciate any ideas you may have because you've been so amazing and I've got ideas for further on in the story. Anyway, please review and see you with the next chapter. **

**Jessie **


	10. Chapter 10

**So Miniwriter305 gave me some suggestions for this chapter which I immediately fell in love with so I've decided to use some of them within this chapter. Thank you so much for your amazing reviews for the last chapter. I've adored hearing from all of you and can't wait to hear your opinions on this chapter that you've all been waiting for. Anyway, I shall leave you to read this story and I hope you review. **

He was nervous. The last time he'd met a girlfriend's parents it was to inform them that he'd gotten their only daughter pregnant and the evening hadn't gone well; seeing that he'd left the apartment only a few moments later with a black eye and many insults ringing in his ears. Smiling as he finished buttoning up his shirt, Rick laughed as he heard a tap at the door and turned to see his mother standing there with a small smile covering her face.

"You look very handsome Richard, Kate's a very lucky lady" Martha commented as Rick shrugged and noticed that his mother was dressed like she was about to go out. Noticing that her son was staring at her choice of dress, Martha sighed as she looked down at her feet. "I have to go to the theatre; they need me tonight to perform because my understudy has called in sick. Typical!" she explained as Rick stared at her and shook his head.

"You can't do that, I have to meet Kate's parents and Alexis can't come with me" he explained, running his hands through his hair as his daughter entered the room and stared at him. "It's going to be bad enough telling them everything but if I bring, mom they're going to keep me away from Kate before we even get to explain" he panicked, falling back on the bed as the older redhead rolled her eyes as her sons dramatic act. "I can't lose Kate mom, she's different" the writer sighed, sitting up as his daughter cuddled up against him.

"I'm sorry Richard but this is my job" the redhead sighed as Rick nodded slowly. "I've tried to find someone to look after her tonight but it's such late notice no one is free" Martha explained as she sat herself on the end of the bed. "I'm sure Kate would understand if you called her" she mumbled, smiling when Rick reached across for the phone that was resting on his bedside table. Dialling her number, he waited as both his mother and daughter watched him in amusement.

"Hello" Kate laughed down the phone, her voice immediately comforting him in a strange way.

"Kate we have a problem" he blurted out. "Mother's been called into work and no one's free to look after Alexis, I'm so sorry but either I cancel tonight which I don't want to do or I bring her with me which I know isn't ideal" he explained, not giving her time to talk. "I'm so sorry; mother was going to look after her tonight. It was all planned but her understudy is sick and she needs to go in" he sighed.

"Rick it's fine, bring Alexis" Kate sighed. "I know it's not how we wanted to do it but they're going to have to meet her one day and at least if she's there we know my dad can't do anything really offensive or violent" Kate smirked as Rick began to relax. "Anyway my mom loves children and she'll adore Alexis just like I do" she explained, Rick giving his mother a thumbs up as everyone began to relax.

"You are the best woman on this planet, you know that right?" he laughed as Kate giggled. "I'll see you in two hours at the restaurant, I'll be the one staring at you like crazy with a small redhead" he sighed.

"And I'll be the one smiling at you with the two adults" she explained before they both whispered goodbyes and hung up.

"You're very lucky Kate understands the situation" Rick said to his mother before standing up and attempting to straighten his hair. "You can help Alexis find her green dress before you abandon us for the evening and as a punishment mother, I'll be putting the chain on the door at midnight so if you're any later you won't be able to get in" he smirked, noticing the glare he received from his mother in response to the threat.

"You're extremely lucky that I love you Richard" Martha replied before leading her granddaughter out of the room.

XOXOOXOXOXO

Entering the restaurant behind her parents, Kate sighed as she ran her hands across the red dress she was wearing; her hands shaking with nerves as her mother turned and smiled at her.

"I remember when your father met my parents for the first time. It was a nightmare to get him to leave the car, he was so nervous that they'd hate him'" Johanna recalled as Kate nodded and stared at her father. It was alright for her parents as there was only an age difference of four years. Kate and Rick's difference was doubled that and Kate was terrified of how her parents were going to react to that. "If he makes you happy Kate we can't hate him" the older brunette whispered to her daughter as a waiter approached them.

"Table for four please" Jim smiled as the young man, the waiter beginning to move as Kate stepped forward.

"Actually a table for five" she explained, the man nodding as he began to walk towards an empty table while Jim and Johanna stared at their daughter. "You'll see" she sighed, following the young waiter and seating herself down on the side of the table so she could see the door while her parents sat opposite her.

"He's not obese is he?" Jim laughed as Johanna rolled her eyes, Kate laughing as she shook her head quickly and stared at the two free seats beside her. Hearing the familiar sound of Alexis laughing, Kate looked up quickly to see Rick and his daughter standing in the door; her body moving to stand before she walked over and wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm terrified" she whispered in his ear as the writer nodded and slowly kissed her. Looking down at Alexis who was shaking her head with disapproval, Kate smiled before she took the little girls hand in hers. "You look beautiful Lex" Kate explained, the five year old beaming at the compliment as Rick laughed and wrapped an arm around Kate's waist. "Here goes nothing" the brunette sighed, approaching the table to find that her parents hadn't yet turned around. "Mom, dad" she began, both her parents turning around to look at them. "This is Richard Castle and his daughter Alexis" she explained, her father's eyebrows rising at the mention of the word daughter while his eyes never moved off Rick's face.

"It's nice to finally meet you Mr Beckett, Mrs Beckett" he smiled, sitting himself down in a free seat as Alexis climbed into the seat beside him on the right while Kate occupied the left seat. "I've heard a lot about you from Kate" he admitted as Johanna slowly began to nod while desperately trying not to stare at him as much as her husband was beside her.

"I'm just going to ask because Jim will strain his eyes otherwise" Johanna sighed as Kate bit her lip, knowing her mother wasn't going to wait around for someone else to ask. "How old are you Richard?"

"Please call me Rick and I'm twenty six" he explained, the shock growing on Jim's face as Kate clung to Rick's hand under the table. "I know there's a large age difference between Kate and I and I know I wouldn't be completely comfortable about Alexis dating someone older than her" he admitted before Alexis groaned.

"Boys are yucky daddy" Alexis explained as Kate and Johanna giggled at the redhead's comment.

"And how old are you Alexis?" Johanna asked as the redhead looked down at her fingers and began to count on them; holding five up quickly as Rick and Kate both smiled at her. "So you're five?" Johanna smiled as Alexis nodded and beamed proudly up at her father.

"Well done pumpkin" he smiled, Kate nodding as Alexis laughed and relaxed back in her seat.

"So where's Alexis' mother?" Jim asked, getting his chance to comment for the first time that evening.

"Dad" Kate hissed, annoyed at her father's question. "That's not important" she warned, stopping when Rick rested a hand on her shoulder and shook his head at her. "He doesn't need to know that Rick, that's all in the past".

"No secrets remember" he smiled, Kate nodding as she relaxed back and watched as Rick looked across at her father. "Meredith and I were young. I had just published my first book and she was training to be an actress. I'm not ashamed to admit that Alexis was a mistake made by two young people who believed they were in love but she's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I married Meredith in an attempt to do the right thing for her and for the baby but unfortunately it wasn't what she wanted and we got divorced just over three years ago" he explained as Johanna nodded and smiled at him weakly. Sighing as the waiter approached just before her father had the ability to speak, Kate relaxed as she felt Rick squeeze her hand.

"Well she seems a lovely little girl Richard, you've done a good job raising her" Johanna commented as she looked across at the redhead that was now drawing in the notebook her father had brought with him to give her something to do. Family dinners weren't Alexis' area of expertise and he found that giving her something to do often made her extremely happy and allowed everyone else to continue to conversations that they wanted. "She actually reminds me a lot of Katie when she was little" Johanna explained as Kate blushed, noticing the excitement that covered his face at the mention of her as a child.

"Rick's a writer, his books are amazing" Kate blurted out in a desperation to change the conversation as Johanna nodded slowly, her father remaining silent as he continued to stare at the younger man.

"My newest book has just been sent away to be published" he explained, shock covering Kate's face as she turned to look at her boyfriend. "I just found out today that they're publishing it. They agree with you Kate that it's going to be a best seller one day" he smiled, Kate squealing in excitement before she kissed him gently; forgetting that her parents and his daughter were now watching them.

"Congratulations" she whispered onto his lips.

"Daddy, Kate yuck" Alexis moaned, both of them laughing as they pulled away from each other. Watching as their drinks were brought over, Kate sighed as the table fell silent; her hand moving to reach across for her drink. Feeling her elbow knock something, Kate turned to see Rick's glass of wine now covering his white shirt.

"I'm sorry" she quickly apologised as she grabbed a napkin and began to dab at his shirt as Rick just laughed in amusement. "Oh god I'm so sorry" she moaned, his hand grabbing hers as she stopped and looked up at him; guilt covering her embarrassed face.

"It's just a shirt Kate" he smiled.

"Just a shirt?" she repeated, hating herself for screwing up the evening and for ruining his shirt.

"I don't even like this shirt actually, I think it looks better stained" he explained, laughing as she nodded slowly, trying to convince herself that what he was saying was right.

"Are you sure because I'll buy you a new one" she moaned, his head shaking as he moved their joined hands to rest on her thigh.

"Kate, it's just a shirt. I don't care" he smiled, kissing her cheek gently before he turned to look at her parents; laughing to himself as he saw Johanna Beckett smiling at him while Jim Beckett continued to frown. "I never seen you clumsy before" he admitted, Kate laughing as she looked at him. "You're cute when you're clumsy, you look so guilty" he laughed, Kate's fist hitting him gently before she giggled lightly.

"Katie look" Alexis squealed as she held up her picture towards the brunette who immediately smiled at the image. "It's me, you and daddy" the redhead explained as Kate nodded and smiled up at the writer who was just staring at her.

"It seems you have a fan Kate" Johanna smiled as Kate nodded and took the picture that Alexis was holding out towards her.

"She's amazing with Alexis. Lex completely adores her; she's always asking when she'll get to see Kate again. She just seems to have a way with children" Rick blurted out as Kate rolled her eyes and rested the drawing on the table as Alexis began to draw another one.

"Surprising seeing that she's not supposed to be around children at her age" Jim muttered, earning a kick from his wife and a glare from his daughter. "I'm just saying. Kate you're eighteen years old, you have your whole life in front of you and you've decided to play happy families with a divorced man and his five year old daughter" Jim explained, keeping his voice quiet in a desperate attempt to not get the whole restaurant's attention.

"James Beckett a word now" Johanna ordered before standing and walking out of the restaurant, her husband following her quickly as Kate turned to look at the man who was sat silently beside her.

"I'm so sorry" Kate admitted, looking down at her lap as he quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and brought her close to him. "He's not normally like this I promise. Normally he's really polite; I think he's just in shock. I mean I'm his only daughter…." She began to explain before falling silent when his lips gently found hers.

"I know. I have my daughter sat beside me Kate and I can't help but think I'd be just the same if she walked in one day with a man eight years older than her who was already a father" he explained, brushing his fingers across her cheek as she nodded. "But Kate, I want you to know that I care about you and there's nothing that will stop that okay? I don't care what your parents think of me, yes I'd love it if they accepted our relationship but I want to be with you Katherine. I have since that moment we met in the coffee shop" he explained as she smiled weakly and nodded again. Watching her parents reappear, Kate sighed as she sat back up and smiled across at her mother who rolled her eyes and sat back down.

"Jim did you have something you wanted to say?" Johanna asked, using a tone Kate remembered from her childhood.

"Richard, I'm sorry for what I said" he explained before looking across at his daughter and back at the man beside her. "It's just a shock. You've got a daughter so you should understand, she'll always be your baby and seeing her with someone a lot older and well who already has a family and has been divorced scares me" Jim admitted as Kate bit into her bottom lip. "But…" he began.

"But you make our daughter very happy" Johanna smiled, knowing that her husband would spend hours attempting to phrase the statement into something that made him sound less soft. "I've seen her come in after being with you Rick and she's happier than she's been in years. She stayed up all night reading your book and she sits by the phone all the time, I don't even want to know what our phone bill will be like" the brunette laughed as Rick smirked.

"But if you even think about hurting our little girl Richard Castle, Alexis will be the only baby you ever have" Jim threatened, Kate feeling Rick's body tense beside her.

"Dad" Kate moaned as her mother rolled her eyes once again. Watching as their food was brought over; Rick sighed before he looked across at his daughter and smirked at the redhead who was humming to herself while attempting to eat the pasta.

"So what do your parents do Richard?" Jim asked as he began to cut up the steak, his hand clutching the knife slightly tighter than Rick liked.

"My mother's an actress and I've never met my father" he explained simply as Kate smiled, her mind going to the redhead who'd she'd last seen sneaking into the apartment in the morning, clearly exhausted and slightly hung over.

"Has your mother been in anything we might have seen?" Johanna smiled, desperately attempting to move on from the previous conversation.

"She's been in a lot of things really but she mainly works on plays now" he explained as the older brunette nodded. "Her names Martha Rodgers" he added, shock covering everyone's face as Jim Beckett began to choke on a piece of steak while his wife laughed beside him. "Did I say something funny?" Rick asked, turning to look at Kate who quickly shook her head in confusion.

"Martha Rodgers? The Martha Rodgers?" Jim gasped as he attempted to get his breath back.

"I don't think there's another Martha Rodgers, fortunately" Rick smiled as Kate laughed. "When it comes to my mother, ones enough" he commented.

"Jim had a thing for her when we first started dating" Johanna explained, Rick and Kate's eyes widening as they stared at the older man who was glaring at his wife.

"Thanks for telling everyone that I had a thing for our daughter's boyfriend's mother" he moaned as Johanna shrugged, forcing another laugh out of everyone again while Alexis just stared at them completely confused. Looking across at the redhead, Kate smiled before she leant across Rick and tapped her shoulder.

"We're talking about your gram" she admitted, Alexis nodding quickly as Kate sat back up and relaxed in her seat. "We went to see her recent play a couple of days ago, she's an amazing performer and she's hysterical in person. You'll have to meet her soon" Kate laughed as shock covered Jim's face. "Although dad you might have to stop doing that face" the brunette warned as her father laughed and began to eat his food again, deciding that it was now safe and there was no longer the risk of him choking.

"One of our dates was seeing one of your mother's performances Richard" Johanna explained as the writer nodded. "Jim proposed to me that evening, I was so surprised when he pulled his ring out at the end of the performance and just asked" she added, shock covering Kate's face as she looked across at the writer.

"Best decision I've ever made" the older man commented before kissing his wife.

"Mom, dad gross" Kate moaned, Rick laughing as she stared at him.

"I guess you know how Alexis feels now" he explained, everyone turning to see the redhead just staring in shock.

"Eww" the five year old muttered before shaking her head and returning to her food.

XOOXOXOXOX

"I'll be right back" Rick smiled as he got up and disappeared around the corner towards the bathroom, Kate smiling before she leant across and looked at her parents who were staring at her.

"So he wasn't what we were expecting Kate" Jim explained as Kate rolled her eyes and sighed. "He's eight years older than you" he moaned.

"Dad, it's just a number. I like Rick, I really really like him and I adore his family and they like me as well" she explained, looking across at the child who was silently drawing. "I've never been with a guy who can make me smile and laugh as much as Rick does and he really wants you to be supportive of this" the brunette explained as Johanna continued to observe her daughter. "I understand that I'm your little girl and you're worried that he's looking for one thing but Rick isn't. We've been out loads of times and he's never made me feel uncomfortable and I know that he doesn't want to just have sex with me and end this. He wouldn't have let me meet his daughter if that was all he saw for us" she admitted before sighing.

"Kate" Jim stated.

"No dad, all evening you've just stared at him and you can see that you don't like this idea but it shouldn't matter to you how old he is to me. What about the people who live next door to us?" she asked, Jim's eyebrows rising as he stared at her in confusion. "He's forty and she's thirty two and they work and you understand their relationship so why is it any different for Rick and I?" she asked as Jim sighed. "He just wants you to accept him" she explained before relaxing back in her seat and smiling when the writer walked over and retook his seat.

"You okay?" he asked; her head nodding as he took in her slightly pink face and her clenched fists. "You look like you're about to kill someone" he admitted as Kate stared down at her fists and sighed. Finding her hand, he smiled as he slowly began to rub circles onto her palm with his thumb as she smiled weakly and began to relax her hands. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, their interaction being carefully watched by the two adults opposite.

"I'm fine, I promise" she explained before looking across at her father who smiled weakly at her.

"Richard, could we go and talk outside please?" Jim asked, worry covering Rick's face as he slowly nodded and watched the older man stand and leave the restaurant.

"He's not going to make Alexis my only child is he?" the writer asked nervously as he stared across at his daughter, Johanna laughing as Kate quickly shook her head and kissed his cheek. "Promise me that I'm going to come back from this discussion".

"I promise you'll come back" she smiled, the writer nodding before he stood up and exited the restaurant. "Dad isn't going to kill him is he?" Kate asked as she looked at her mother.

"They're men Kate, they need to have their manly talks which we'll never completely understand" Johanna explained before being to discuss films with Alexis.

XOOXOXOXO

"I've never seen Kate this happy" Jim admitted when the writer finally joined him outside; his concentration focused on the young brunette who was sat inside the restaurant drawing with the five year old. "I remember her face when she walked into our living room with your book dressed in her pyjamas and exhaustion completely covering her face. She still looked happy then even though she was about to fall asleep standing up" he laughed at the memory, Rick smirking at the description of Kate.

"I'm glad I make her happy Mr Beckett" Rick sighed, the older man quickly turning to look at him. "I understand that you're upset. We should have told you sooner and I know that you're thinking that because I'm older I must want something from her and I do Mr Beckett" he explained, Jim's eyebrows rising as Rick stared through the window at Kate who was nervously looking at him. "I want to continue dating her but I'd love it if we could be dating with your acceptance. I've talked to Kate and she desperately wants both you and your wife to proud of her and respect her decisions and I know that this is an awkward situation for any father to be in" he explained.

"It's not every day that your only daughter brings home an older man Richard. It just makes you worry about what that person wants from her" Jim admitted as Rick nodded.

"I'm not in this just to have sex with her Mr Beckett, Kate is very important to me and my family" Rick immediately explained as Jim nodded slowly. "Alexis absolutely adores her and my mother thinks she's wonderful and both of them would kill me if I ever hurt her" Rick laughed as the older man nodded slowly. "She's a beautiful and extremely clever young woman and I'm honoured that she's chosen to be with me" he smiled, his eyes moving back to Kate who was laughing along with her mother.

"If you ever hurt her Richard…" Jim began.

"I give you permission to do whatever you want to me but sir, she means a lot to me and I'd never purposely hurt her" he explained as the older man smiled at him quickly. "I understand I'm not the sort of person you'd want to see Kate date but I have a job that pays well and I know I've been divorced before but I wasn't the one who cheated during my marriage and I only married Meredith because it was the right thing to do" he announced, knowing that was one of the most important issues that was annoying Jim Beckett.

"I guess I can't hate you if you make me daughter smile in the way she has been doing recently" Jim sighed as he looked up to see Kate staring at them, worry covering her face. "Go and tell her that everything's fine, otherwise she'll run out in a minute and start blurting everything out" he laughed, Rick smiling before thanking the man and entering the restaurant again. Standing, Kate quickly walked over to him as he approached the table; her arms tightening around him as his own wrapped around her waist.

"What was he saying? Are you okay?" she asked, her panic making him laugh before he kissed her gently. Moving away, she stared at him before smiling. "He's okay with us?" she asked.

"He can't hate me if I make you smile like you've been doing recently" he explained, Kate laughing as she tightened her grip around him before moving away when her father reappeared. Wrapping her arms around her father, she squealed as Jim Beckett laughed and pressed a kiss into her hair.

"Thank you daddy" she whispered.

"I'm still not completely comfortable with this idea" he mumbled to her as she nodded and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Just be happy for me dad" she whispered before she moved away from him; his head nodding as they sat back down at the table to see Johanna and Alexis just smiling at them.

**I'm not happy with this chapter but I can't make it angry without it becoming extremely unrealistic. Anyway, please review and if you really do dislike it then I'll attempt to rewrite it again as I'm not completely happy but I'm struggling to make it worse. Also I've never been in the parent meeting the boyfriend situation before so I don't really know how people would react and I wanted to make the evening seem awkward but like they were attempting to be nice to Rick, well at least Johanna was attempting to be nice to him. **

**Thank you for the amazing response to the previous chapters and I hope you enjoyed this and continue to review and favourite this story. **


	11. Chapter 11

**I honestly have no idea where this chapter came from but hopefully you enjoy it and review. You know I love hearing from all of you. Also thank you for the amazing response to the last chapter, I can't get over the amazing comments you gave the chapter and I hope that continues to please you. **

"We're going to have to arrange our two families meeting soon" he explained as they both lay across his bed on opposite ends, Kate nodding as she looked across at him and laughed. She'd arrived at his apartment around half an hour ago and after a quick lunch with Alexis, who'd been taken to a play date by Martha who was now at rehearsals, they were on his bed laughing at everything while a movie played in the background; neither of them paying attention to it. "Which might be awkward seeing that your dad liked my mom back in the good old days" he smirked; Kate groaning as she quickly grabbed a cushion and threw it at him; the writer laughing when the object hit him. "Going to play dirty Kate?" he asked, throwing a pillow at her before they both knelt up and began to hit each other with them; both of them laughing as they moved so Kate was lying down and Rick was straddling her.

"Hey" she whispered, the writer smiling lightly before he leant down and gently kissed her. Hearing the main phone ring, Rick groaned as he rested his forehead against hers and felt her run her fingers down his back. "You should go and answer that" she admitted, the writer nodding as he moved away from her and slowly began to leave the room. Sitting up, Kate laughed gently to herself before she shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair; desperately trying to think of anything but what she'd felt when she'd been close to the writer. Hearing the door open again, she quickly looked up to see a nervous expression covering the writers face. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Meredith has just invited herself to come and stay for the week" he moaned, collapsing onto the bed beside her as Kate sighed and curled up next to him. "She's in the city and she's just decided to crash here! Why does she always do this?" he moaned, stopping when Kate quickly kissed him; their fingers lacing as she smiled at him. "She's going to be here soon" he admitted.

"I don't care" she whispered gently before she kissed him again. "We never get a moment alone together, she's not destroying the only time we have without family interrupting, however much I love your daughter" the brunette admitted as he ran his fingers down her cheeks and smiled at her. Hearing a knock at the main door, Kate groaned before she relaxed back on the bed beside them; both of them staring up at the ceiling in silence.

"Damn that woman" he moaned, Kate laughing gently as they both stood up and wrapped their arms around each other. Hearing the phone ring, the writer groaned as the knocking at the door got louder.

"I'll answer the phone, you get the door" she explained, Rick nodding before he kissed her quickly; the two of them walking out of the room together before Kate stopped at the phone and quickly answered it. Watching as Rick opened the door, Kate stared at the redhead who quickly entered the apartment and smiled at the writer; shock covering Kate's face. It was obvious where Alexis got her looks from. "Hello" she finally said down the phone.

"Hi, could I talk to Richard please?" a woman said down the line, worry filling Kate's veins as she looked across at the woman who was clearly flirting with her boyfriend. Was this someone else that Rick had been involved with? "It's about his daughter Alexis, she's come down ill and she'd like to come home" the woman explained, Kate relaxing immediately as she realised it was the mom of Alexis' friend.

"I'll tell him, thanks for calling" Kate admitted before both women said goodbye and Kate put the phone down. "Rick can I borrow your car?" the brunette asked, gaining the attention of not just the writer but the actress beside him who immediately looked concerned.

"Sure, what's going on?" he asked, Kate sighing as she felt Meredith's eyes on her.

"Lex is sick so I thought I'd go and get her for you" the brunette admitted, Rick smiling as the redhead's eyebrows rose at the stranger in front of her.

"I'll go with you, show you where you need to go and everything" he whispered as she smiled at him lightly and shook her head. "Kate?" he asked, the two of them moving away from Meredith as he rested a hand on her shoulder. "What's going on?" the writer asked quickly, Kate sighing as she looked down. "Talk to me".

"I don't like being around her, I feel like she's constantly watching me" the brunette admitted as Rick laughed. "I thought if I got Alexis, you could keep an eye on Meredith. I know you're not happy about her being here so I thought you might want to protect the apartment and maybe make Alexis mac and cheese for when we get back. You are after all the only one who can make it to Alexis' standards" she explained, Rick smiling as he quickly kissed her.

"You're perfect" Rick laughed as Kate shrugged and hugged him. "Don't crash my car though, it's my other baby" he warned as he passed her the keys before she kissed his cheek lightly and walked out of the apartment, not even acknowledging the redhead who was continuing to glare at her.

XOXOXOXOXO

Standing outside the address of Alexis' friend, Kate sighed as she quickly knocked on the door and watched as a petit brunette woman opened the door and smiled at her.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked quickly as Kate nodded.

"I'm here for Alexis, I'm…" Kate began.

"Kate" Alexis mumbled, Kate looking down to see the small girl staring up at her; her face pale as she clung to the jacket around her. Kneeling down, Kate smiled as she quickly wrapped her arms around the small girl. "I don't feel well Kate, I want to go home" the five year old admitted as Kate nodded and stood up, her hand holding Alexis' as she shield across at the woman who was slowly nodded in agreement.

"Alexis hasn't stopped talking about you all day, you seem to be a very influential person Kate" she explained as Kate laughed and felt Alexis cuddle into her side. "We'll see you soon Alexis okay? Feel better soon" the woman beamed as Alexis nodded and waved at her gently before Kate began to lead her towards the elevator.

"How are you feeling?" Kate asked quickly as they stood in the metal box, Alexis still cuddled into her side as Kate groaned. "You're about to fall asleep little miss" Kate smiled, lifting the small girl into her arms; glad that Alexis was light as she carried the child of the elevator and began to walk in the direction of the car. Unlocking the car, Kate sighed as she helped Alexis into her seat and watched as the redhead began to fall asleep immediately. "Lex we need to talk about something before we get home" the brunette admitted as the redhead nodded, keeping her eyes shut as Kate climbed into the driver's seat and began to drive towards Rick's apartment. "Your mom's come to stay for the week" Kate admitted, preparing the child for who'd be waiting when they got back .

"Don't want her to stay Katie" Alexis mumbled as Kate sighed and began to park the car. "She leaves us" the redhead admitted, Kate shutting her eyes as they remained in the car for a while. "She hates us" Alexis sobbed, Kate immediately shaking her head as she climbed into the back of the car and sat beside the child.

"She doesn't hate you Alexis, no one could possibly hate you because you're perfect" she admitted as the small girl stared at her, tears running down her cheeks as Kate helped her undo her safety belt. "Sometimes parents just stop loving each other but that never means they stop loving their baby" Kate smiled, the redhead staring at her as Kate smiled gently. "Why don't we go upstairs and see what daddy's made for lunch?" Kate suggested as Alexis nodded slowly. Climbing out of the car, Kate sighed as she lifted the exhausted child into her arms and headed in the apartment; grateful for the man who quickly came and opened the door for her. "I love you Lex" Kate whispered as she entered the lift.

"I love you Katie" the redhead admitted against Kate's shoulder as the brunette smiled at the small girls comment. Walking out of the lift, Kate sighed as she unlocked the door to Rick's apartment somehow and entered.

"You should be grateful Meredith that at least someone cares enough about our daughter to go and do what Kate's doing today" Rick screamed from his office.

"I don't want her near my daughter; she's nothing to do with her. I'm her mother" Meredith shouted back at him as Kate felt Alexis bury her head against her shoulder; the brunette immediately carrying her up the stairs in silence. "She shouldn't be around my baby Richard, she's not family".

"You have no right to even call Alexis your baby, you're never around Meredith. You didn't even call on her birthday" Rick responded, Kate sighing as she pushed Alexis' bedroom door open and entered the room; resting the redhead immediately on the bed.

"I was working Richard, I didn't have the time to call" Meredith explained, Kate's eyes rolling at the excuse as she quickly searched for a pair of pyjamas for the redhead who was sobbing silently on the bed.

"A five minute phone call Meredith, that's the least you could have done. Your stupid acting shouldn't come over your five year old daughter" the writer explained, his frustration obvious as Kate quickly found a pair of blue pyjamas and helped the small girl into them. Covering her in a blanket, Kate sighed as she leant across and quickly pressed a kiss to the redhead's forehead.

"Do you want something to eat or drink? I think your daddy made mac and cheese earlier" Kate asked, the small girl's head shaking as Kate stood up; stopping when she felt Alexis grab her hand.

"Don't go" Alexis whispered, the brunette nodding as she kicked her shoes off and lay herself down beside the redhead who cuddled up against her. "Why do they shout?" Alexis asked as Kate shut her eyes and tried to think of how to tell the child about why her parents were fighting.

"They're just angry Alexis, don't worry" the brunette sighed as Alexis nodded and relaxed beside Kate; Kate's arm wrapping around her as Alexis slowly began to fall asleep beside her. Hearing something smash, Kate sighed, glad that the redhead was now asleep and wasn't listening to all the insults that Meredith was screaming at the writer; the worst being that he was a terrible husband and most of all a terrible father". Hearing a door slam, Kate sighed as she heard footsteps running up the stairs before the door creaked open and she looked up to see Rick standing there. "Hey" she whispered.

"How is she?" he asked, Kate sighing as she looked down at the child who was sleep in her arms.

"She heard you both shouting, she was upset and it didn't help but she fell asleep almost the moment her head hit the pillow" the brunette explained, the writer nodding slowly before he sat on the floor on Kate's side of the bed, his head burying into his hands as Kate ran her hand to his shoulder. "Don't listen to a word she says" she begged. "You're an amazing father and I bet you were an amazing husband as well".

"If I'd been an amazing husband, my wife wouldn't have slept with every man that came along" the writer admitted, the sadness in his voice obvious as Kate slipped out of the bed and sat herself beside him.

"That doesn't reflect badly on you, it reflects badly on Meredith only. She's the one who cheated, you were the one who was caring for your beautiful little girl" Kate whispered, running her fingers through his hair as he remained perfectly still; his eyes red as he attempted desperately not to cry.

"The night that I kicked her out, I'd come home from a dinner with my mother and her newest boyfriend. Alexis was fast asleep on the living room floor; it was almost midnight and Meredith hadn't even put her to bed yet; she'd fallen asleep curled up on a cushion with her blanket. She was barely two years old at the time" the writer explained as Kate continued to listen, her eyes not moving off him as he shut his eyes. "I just remember seeing the trail of clothing down the corridor and there they were; my best friend and my wife in my bed. They hadn't even shut the door which shocked me" he explained, Kate's arms wrapping around him as he rested against her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" she whispered, his head shaking as he kept his eyes closed.

"I just shut the door and took Alexis upstairs to bed before going to sit on the couch; they came out around an hour later unaware that I was back and they were gone. I didn't even shout" he explained, Kate's hand running to cup his cheek as he looked at her. "And I'm grateful for that night because I think I would have continued to attempt to play happy families with her and that wouldn't have been right for anyone, especially Alexis".

"I didn't hate Meredith until I picked Alexis up" Kate admitted as he looked at her. "I was jealous of her because she'd been with you before me and she was Alexis' mother" the brunette explained as the writer nodded. "But when I told Alexis that her mom had come to visit, she told me that Meredith hated her and I just wanted to hold her in my arms and make all that pain go away" Kate explained as Rick kissed her gently. Hearing footsteps down the corridor, Rick groaned as he felt Kate cuddle up beside him. "She doesn't have to stay, it's your house and you can tell her to get a hotel if its what you want. You owe her nothing Rick" she whispered before kissing him. "It's your choice, do what you feel is best for you and Alexis" she explained before standing up and helping him off the floor. Hearing the door open, both of them turned to see a frustrated Martha standing in the doorway.

"What is _she _doing here Richard?" Martha hissed, entering the room quickly before she shut the door. "I thought there was some sort of agreement saying she couldn't just turn up when she wanted and now she's sat on our couch watching our television" the redhead moaned as Kate smiled and nodded, understand what the woman was talking about. "And most of all when I asked her why she was here; she decided to ask me the exact same thing and then call me an unstable influence to have around her daughter. Since when did she decide to act like mother of the year?"

"She's jealous because Kate brought Alexis home" Rick admitted, Martha nodding as Kate quickly looked down. "She doesn't like the idea that Alexis is getting closer to another woman and mother you know that you're a wonderful mother and grandmother even if you are a unique personality to have around" the writer explained, hugging his mother quickly as Kate smiled, Rick's free arm wrapping around her as the brunette laughed gently.

XOXOXOXOXO

Sitting on the couch, Rick sighed as he looked across at his ex-wife who was sat on the other couch, completely involved in the television programme that was being shown. Hearing small footsteps, the writer sighed as he turned his head to see Alexis walking towards him in pyjamas; his smile growing at the sight of her hugging the bear he'd bought her the day after Meredith had left.

"Hey pumpkin" he smiled, lifting her into his lap as Meredith turned to look at her daughter.

"Where's Katie daddy?" Alexis immediately asked, the writer laughing as she cuddled up against his chest.

"Katie had to go home because she has some work she had to do but she promised she'd be here in the morning to come and see if you were feeling better and if you were, we were thinking about going to the zoo" Rick explained, noticing the excitement that covered the child's face.

"Maybe I had plans with Alexis for tomorrow since I'm in the city for the week" Meredith immediately called out in the direction of the other couch, surprised however when her daughter didn't turn to look at her. "Hello Alexis" she smiled, desperately trying to gain her daughter's attention. "Alexis are you going to say hello to me?" she asked.

"No" the young redhead admitted as Rick bit into his lip, attempting to hold in the laugh that was threatening to irrupt.

"I thought we could go shopping tomorrow Alexis, buy some new dresses" Meredith smiled, the five year old shaking her head quickly.

"Want to go to the zoo with daddy and Kate" Alexis immediately responded, cuddling up as close to Rick as possible. "Katie stays" she whispered, just loud enough for the woman to hear.

"Alexis honey, you're my baby and we need to spend time together when I'm around. You don't get to choose that. Kate's not your mommy so…" the older redhead explained as Alexis began to sob, Rick's arms wrapping around her as he glared across at the woman who smiling at him. "I'm sorry but I'm Alexis' mother and I want to spend time with her while I'm in the city. Kate's just another one of those people who will just come and go" she explained, Alexis' sobs becoming louder as Rick stood up and began to carry his daughter out of the room.

"Katie's going to go?" Alexis sobbed as Rick shook his head, entering his mother's room to find the redhead reading a script. Staring at her granddaughter, the actress quickly sighed as Alexis was placed on the bed and immediately curled up into the older redhead's waiting arms. "I don't want to go with mom" the redhead sobbed, Martha looking across at her son who quickly let out a frustrated sigh and moved towards the phone that was in his mother's room. "I want Katie" Alexis began to scream. Dialling the number he'd now learnt to heart, Rick sighed as he watched his mother cradle his daughter in her arms; the writer shutting his eyes for a moment as he heard someone pick up the phone.

"Hello" the voice of Johanna Beckett yawned down the phone.

"Mrs Beckett, it's Rick. Is Kate still awake?" he asked, his voice full of panic as he heard movement and the sound of Johanna Beckett calling out Kate's name.

"Rick? Is everything alright?" Kate asked quickly down the phone, her worry clear in her voice.

"I need you" he blurted out. "Meredith said something and Alexis keeps asking for you, Kate I don't know what to do and I hate that I'm forcing you to come back here this late when you wanted to get an early night but…" he began.

"Rick, mom's going to give me a lift to yours okay? Don't worry about dad either, she's going to explain that Alexis is sick and I'll just camp out on your couch tonight" she explained, Rick sighing as he immediately felt slightly more relaxed at the news. "I'll be there in ten minutes okay, just take a deep breath and relax" she explained, the writer nodding in response. "Rick?" she asked.

"Sorry just nodding to myself, thank you" he smiled; Kate laughing as he quickly said goodbye and heard her say it back before they put the phone down. Looking across at Alexis, Rick smiled as he walked over and sat down on the bed. "Guess who's coming for a sleepover?" Rick laughed, desperately trying to sound positive as his red faced daughter stared at him. "Katie's going to come and stay over tonight" Rick explained, the smile that covered Alexis' face sending relieve through both Rick and Martha before the younger redhead wrapped her arms around her father.

XOXOXOXO

Opening the door, Rick smiled as Kate stared at him; embarrassment covering her face as she found the writer looking at the pyjamas she was wearing; a bag thrown over her shoulder. Pushing a stray piece of hair away from her face, Kate laughed as he allowed her in and shut the door behind her; Kate noticing the movie that was playing on the television.

"She won't go to sleep" Rick whispered, Kate nodding as she walked over to find the exhausted redhead sitting on the couch. Sitting down, Kate smiled as Alexis moved closer to her; the brunette's arms wrapping tightly around her. "Right pumpkin, I thought that seeing you're already having a later night than normal, why don't we make a fort and camp out in here?" he asked, desperately trying to find some way of cheering his daughter up.

"Katie?" Alexis whispered, clinging onto Kate as Rick groaned, a small smile covering the brunette's face as she looked down at the redhead.

"I'm not going anywhere Lex, I promise so why don't we make a fort? You'll have to teach me though" Kate explained, the redhead immediately nodding as she climbed off the couch and began to explain to Kate what to do. After two failed attempts, the couple laughed as they stared at the fort they'd built while the redhead yawned in exhaustion. "Right Miss Alexis, time for bed because I'm tired and I'm sure you are as well" Kate smiled as the redhead nodded.

"I'll go and get the stuff" Rick explained, running up the stairs to find his mother watching them. "Hi" he whispered, Martha nodding as she continued to watch Kate interact with Alexis.

"She's good with her" Martha observed, Rick turning to see Kate laughing along with the redhead. "Don't mess this up Richard, she's special" the actress admitted as Rick nodded, pressing a kiss to his mother's cheek before she disappeared into her bedroom. Bringing the bedding downstairs, Rick smiled as they all climbed into sleeping bags; Rick smiling as Alexis immediately lay down beside Kate.

"Mind if I sleep the other side of you?" he asked, Kate's head shaking as he sat himself down on her other side; his lips quickly finding hers. Waiting for Alexis' usual 'eww', they both turned to see the redhead fast asleep beside Kate; a small smile covering both their faces as they relaxed beside each other. "Thank you for being here" he whispered, Kate smiling gently as she got comfortable.

"Always" she replied back, her eyes shutting slowly as she allowed sleep to overtake her.

**So what do you think? **


	12. Chapter 12

Feeling something keeping her to the floor, Kate groaned as she slowly opened her eyes and looked down to find Rick's arm over her body; her smile growing at the realisation of where she was and who she was with. Looking across, Kate noticed the redhead who was curled up beside her fast asleep while the writer also remained asleep; her smile continuing to grow as she rested back and enjoyed the warmth of the two bodies beside her. Hearing footsteps a few moments later, Kate quickly shut her eyes as she heard the movement stop just by the fort of safety they were buried in.

"What the hell is going on?" the voice of Meredith screamed, Kate smiling as she heard Rick groan against his before he moved and slid out of the fort; Kate remaining inside pretending to be asleep; not yet wanting to return to the reality of his ex-wife. "Alexis has a bedroom, you made that clear enough when I lived her" the redhead explained as Kate opened her eyes to find Alexis lying there with her eyes open, guilt filling Kate's mind as she pressed her finger to her lips to silence the small girl before she undid her sleeping bag and wrapped her arms around the younger redhead; hoping to protect her from the argument she knew was about to start.

"I didn't just leave her to fall asleep Meredith, you terrified her last night" the writer explained, his tone frustrated while still remaining quiet in an attempt not to wake up the people he believed to still be asleep. "She wouldn't go to sleep so we had to think of something to calm her down with" he explained, Meredith's eyebrows rising as Kate pressed a kiss into Alexis' red hair.

"We? Who's we Richard?" she asked.

"Kate and I" he said proudly, not afraid to admit that he'd called the woman the previous night to come and help him. He wasn't ashamed that he'd needed her help the previous evening and just having her that close had made everything disappear. "You made Alexis think that Kate was just going to abandon her and that you were going to take Alexis away from me" he hissed, Kate staring down to see Alexis covering her ears with her hands.

"Maybe I will. Maybe I will take her away from you because she's my daughter too and you've turned her against me" Meredith shrieked, shocking Kate at how furious she'd sounded in that moment but also angering the brunette with the threat Meredith had declared. She couldn't take Alexis away with Rick, he was Alexis' father and in most people's eyes he was Alexis' sole parent. Covering Alexis' hand with her own hands, the brunette sighed as she waited for Rick to respond.

"I haven't turned her against you. Maybe if you'd opened your legs less and been more of a mother to her, she'd want to spend time with you but you made those choices. You decided to sleep with everyone who came your way" he blurted out, hating himself after he'd said it. His daughter was nearby and he'd just blurted out something horrible in the distance of Alexis being able to hear him. "You just walk in and out of her life and destroy everything Alexis is used to. She likes schedules and plans, she doesn't like people just changing ideas" he explained before sitting down on the couch, watching as Kate crawled out of the fort and stared at him. "Morning" he smiled, Kate moving to sit beside him before she leant over.

"Alexis has been awake since you started fighting" she whispered in his ear before sitting down in the couch and looking towards the fort. "By the way Meredith, if Alexis was sick what would you do?" Kate asked, surprising the writer as he noticed the glare the brunette was sending in the direction of the standing redhead.

"I would get a doctor and then put her to bed, leave her to sleep" the redhead shrugged before Kate shook her head.

"Alexis doesn't like doctors unless she's really sick" Kate explained, shocking the writer. He'd explained what Alexis liked when she was sick while Alexis was asleep and the two had been left alone to talk before the brunette had left the apartment to go home. "She likes to cuddle up in Rick's bed and watch Disney videos before having mac and cheese but she'll only eat it if she's hungry. You can't force it on her" the brunette listed, Rick smiling as Meredith began to go pale. "When it comes to going to bed, she likes to have a story read to her and she normally likes to cuddle up with Rick and she always keeps her bear on her" she finished, smiling when Alexis climbed out of the fort and ran out of the fort with the bear in her arms; Kate quickly lifting her to sit beside her before Alexis threw her arms around the brunette.

"Can we go to the zoo Katie?" Alexis asked as Kate nodded slowly, the redhead beaming before she disappeared up the stairs.

"I'm going to go and get dressed" Kate explained, Rick nodding before he kissed her gently and watched her disappear in the direction of his bedroom.

"Kate's only been around a sick Alexis once and she's learnt more about her than you ever had" Rick smirked before he went to pack away the blankets that had been used to make the fort.

XOOXOXOXOX

Watching as Kate stood beside his daughter and watched the penguins, he felt his smile grow at the way the redhead was cuddled up beside her; Kate's hand resting on her back as they both laughed at one of the birds in front of them, Moving forward, he smiled as he slipped an arm around her and pressed a kiss to her cheek; her head turning to face him as a smirk decorated it to perfection.

"You're perfect" he sighed, Kate laughing gently before she kissed him, Alexis groaning at the sight before she turned to look back at the birds; the brunette laughing gently onto Rick's lips before she returned her focus back onto the animals they'd come to see. "Come on pumpkin, next animal" he ushered, Alexis nodding before she ran off ahead of them. Tightening the grip of the arm around Kate, the writer smiled as he felt her move closer into his side while they both watched Alexis ran ahead of them in excitement. "She really put Meredith in her place last night" he admitted as Kate looked up at him. "I told her that we were planning on going to the zoo and she got so excited, Meredith however started saying that she wanted to go shopping and she immediately said that she wanted to go to the zoo with us instead" he explained, moving his arm so he could lace fingers with the woman beside him.

"Meredith is trying Rick" Kate sighed, still not feeling anything towards the older redhead who had clearly upset the small girl who was now waiting for them. "Although I can't forgive her for what she did last night, how could she just say that to Alexis?" the brunette asked.

"She doesn't think that's why. I don't think she understands children" he sighed, Kate nodding slowly as Alexis squealed at the sight of the animals in front of her. "But I don't want to talk about her Kate, she ruined yesterday but todays a completely different day and it's time to just focus on the three of us" he smiled, Kate laughing before she kissed him gently.

"I like the sound of that" she admitted before returning her focus to the redhead who was now standing with her arms crossed and her head shaking. "I'm sorry Lex, we'll stop kissing now" Kate apologised as Rick nodded behind her, his daughter immediately smiling at Kate's promise.

"Good" she smirked before she began to point out the monkeys.

"They're pygmy marmosets Alexis" Rick explained as the redhead nodded, listening to her father as she continued to stare at them. "They're the world's smallest monkeys and their daddy's look after them when they're babies" he read off the information sheet as Alexis nodded, Kate smiling as she walked over to join the child who quickly pointed them out to her.

"Just like my daddy" Alexis smiled as Kate nodded, looking back to see the writer still reading the information that was provided to them on the animals. "He looks after me Katie" the redhead continued, Kate smiling as the writer looked up from what he was reading and across at her before winking. Turning her head quickly, Kate smiled back across at the redhead who was completely occupied by the sight of the tiny monkeys.

XOOXOXOXO

"Daddy they're orange" Alexis squealed, making both Kate and Rick laugh as she stared at the tigers in front of her. "They're like me daddy" she admitted, waving her hair around as the brunette looked across to see an older couple staring at them with small smiles covering her face.

"You have a beautiful family sir" the older woman admitted to Rick who immediately looked across at Kate and then at his daughter who was staring at the large cats in front of her.

"Thank you" he smiled, the couple quickly disappearing as Kate giggled lightly into his side. "We're a beautiful family Kate" he smirked, her eyes rolling before she leant up and pressed a kiss to his cheek gently; glad that Alexis was completely focused on the animals in front of her.

"Daddy look they're orange" Alexis laughed, jumping up and down as Rick rolled his eyes and laughed quickly at his daughter's constant movement; the thought of her standing still seeming far away.

"You knew that pumpkin already, we read a book on them a while ago" he sighed, Alexis shrugging before she turned to stare at them again. Moving as close to the glass as she could, Alexis squealed as the tiger approached the window and just remained perfectly still; staring at her. Joining her, Kate smiled as she watched the shock and excitement that was covering Alexis's face grow.

"Daddy it's looking at me" Alexis squealed, Rick laughing as he knelt down beside his daughter and watched the animal for a moment. "It's so big daddy" she smiled, moving closer to her father as the animal began to pace up and down before running off after another tiger. "Bye mister tiger" she called after it, Kate smiling at Alexis' innocence before she stood up and felt Alexis cling onto her hand. "What's next daddy?" she smiled, Rick laughing before they began to walk again.

XOXOXOXOXO

Unlocking his car, Kate sighed as she turned to see Rick leading a half asleep Alexis towards it; the large tiger toy the writer had bought her in his hands as she yawned once again. It was clear that the redhead was exhausted and Kate couldn't help but smile at her determination to stay awake; often seen by her frown after she yawned. Opening Alexis' door, Kate watched as the redhead climbed in and took the toy from her father before relaxing back and shutting her eyes.

"She'll be asleep all afternoon now" he admitted as he shut the door and watched as Kate climbed into the vehicle. Slipping into the driver's seat, he relaxed for a moment before turning to look at the brunette sat beside him. "Thank you for thinking of this; I haven't seen her that excited in a long time" he explained, kissing her lightly before Kate giggled.

"Well I hadn't been to the zoo in a while so I thought why not go with my favourite redhead and her father" she admitted, relaxing back in her seat as the writer began to drive. "I have to go home Rick, I need to do work otherwise I'm going to be ridiculously behind" she sighed as he groaned, disappointment covering his face quickly as she shut her eyes and attempted to remove the image from her mind. Driving up to her apartment in silence, Kate sighed as they parked outside and the writer turned to see his daughter fast asleep before he looked across at Kate. Reaching across, she smiled as her hands ran through his hair as their lips found each other; a small groan leaving her lips as she felt his hand slip down her back.

"You need to go" he whispered onto her lips, a small moan leaving her own as he shook his head, looking out of the window to see Jim Beckett standing there; his arms crossed across his chest. "Your dad is watching us" he admitted, Kate biting into her lip to stop herself from swearing before she climbed out of the car and laughed; shutting the door before she ran over to her father; her hand waving quickly at the writer before he pulled away from her.

"Hi dad" Kate smiled.

"Hello" he said, Kate biting her lip as she approached the door and opened it for him. "How 's Alexis feeling now?" he asked quickly, desperately trying to remove the image of his daughter kissing the older man out of his mind.

"Better, we went to the zoo and she became best friends with the tigers" she smiled, opening the door for her father as he nodded at her comment. "She fell asleep the moment she sat down in the car but it was amazing" she explained as she remembered the tiger up against the window with Alexis on the other side. "We made a fort last night as well, it was brilliant" she added, Jim laughing at his daughters comment and the smile that was covering her face.

"I'm glad he makes you happy" Jim whispered, unlocking the door to their apartment as Kate sighed and heard her mother talking to herself inside; clearly going over another case. Watching her father sneak up behind her mom, Kate smiled as Jim Beckett wrapped his arms around his wife; making her squeal before she hit him gently. "Guess who I caught making out in the car" he smiled, Johanna looking across to see her daughter standing in the doorway; her cheeks pink with embarrassment.

"How's Alexis feeling?" Johanna immediately asked as Kate shut the door to the apartment.

"Alexis is amazing" Kate sighed, lying across the couch as Jim rolled his eyes at her.

XOXOXOXOXO

Entering his apartment, Rick groaned at the sound of his mother and ex-wife having a shouting contest with each other; his hands immediately covering his daughter's ears as Meredith began to swear at the top of her lungs. Hearing the apartment fall silent, he sighed as he knelt down in front of his daughter and laughed gently as she clung onto the toy tiger they'd bought earlier.

"Why don't you go and watch a movie in my room?" he asked, the redhead nodding before she ran off down the corridor towards his bedroom. Heading up the stairs, he remembered Kate's words from the previous evening; a small smile creeping onto his face as he finished climbing the stairs and found himself staring at two furious redhead's. "Mother, Meredith stop it" he announced, the two of them falling silent as they turned to look at him. "Alexis just heard you swearing Meredith and it's not the type of language I want her to learn" he warned, his tone furious and yet strangely calm.

"I'm amazed she hasn't picked it up already, living with you two" the younger redhead hissed as Martha opened her mouth to speak; falling silent when Rick glared across at her.

"Meredith, pack your bags and find yourself a hotel" he stated, Martha smiling as she watched her son. "This is my home and you don't have the right to just invite yourself to stay. If you want to see our daughter in the future, you arrange it in advance and you find yourself a hotel to stay in because I'm not letting Alexis be exposed to all of the shit you bring with you" he declared, the younger redhead opening her mouth to speak this time. "Meredith, leave now" he warned, her head nodding slowly before she walked towards the guest room. "Say goodbye to Alexis before you go" he added. 

"Why should I? She's replaced me with this Kate anyway" she hissed before slamming the guest bedrooms door; the writer smiling as he realised what he'd just done.

**Thank you for the amazing response this continues to receive and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be the two families meeting properly and let's just stay, nothing really goes to plan. **


	13. Chapter 13

Pressing her lips against his, Kate smiled as she slowly straddled his lap and began to kiss him again; a small groan leaving his lips as she ran her fingers through his short hair while his own hands remained by his side. He was afraid to touch her, afraid of doing something wrong and ending the make out session before it had even started.

"Touch me Rick" she whispered onto his lips, his hands moving to the bottom of her shirt as she giggled lightly. Moving their lips closer again, Rick sighed as she moved closer to him; tightening her arms around his neck while his hands began to slide up under her t-shirt, touching bare skin for the first time. "Rick I…" she began.

"Daddy" a voice screamed from the doorway as Kate groaned and moved off the writer who was desperately trying to flatten his hair. Watching as Alexis ran over, the brunette laughed as the redhead jumped to sit in between them; obviously excited about the shopping trip she'd returned from with her grandmother who was just closing the door to the apartment. "I got a dress Katei" the redhead admitted.

"Did you? Is it pretty?" Kate asked as Alexis nodded, digging through the bag she'd brought with her; her hands quickly bringing out the new green dress. "Wow, it's lovely Alexis. Are you going to wear it tonight?" the brunette smiled, Rick nodding as his daughter turned to look at him, asking him the same question with her eyes.

"Yes" Alexis squealed, Rick laughing at his daughter's excitement while Kate just rolled her eyes before standing. Getting to his feet, Rick quickly wrapped his arms around her as she groaned and found her eyes locking with his.

"Let me drive you home" he whispered, Kate nodding as she looked across to see Martha standing there watching them; the redhead giving them a quick nod before they laced fingers and walked towards the door. Stepping out of the apartment, Rick sighed as he felt Kate's arms wrap around his neck before her lips found his again.

"Do you think we'll ever get a moment alone together Rick?" she asked as they moved away from each other and began to walk towards the elevator.

"Not in New York" he sighed, holding onto her hand as they stood together in the metal box; desperately trying not to act on their desires. "Are your parents excited about tonight?" he asked, holding onto her hand as she turned her head to look at him. "I know mother is, she's planning on cooking" he admitted, Kate nodding slowly as they stepped out of the lift and began to walk towards his car.

"Mom's more excited than dad of course but that's not surprising" Kate admitted, the writer unlocking the vehicle quickly before they both climbed in and relaxed back for a moment. Hearing the car start, Kate sighed as she shut her eyes and relaxed back as the writer drove; both of them humming along to the radio that was quietly playing. Parking up outside her apartment, Rick quickly turned to see Kate with her eyes shut; his smile growing before he leant across and kissed her gently; a small giggle leaving her lips at his kiss.

"I have something for you" he whispered, Kate staring at him in confusion before he leant across to the back of the car and brought over a box. "Don't open it until you get inside; I hope you like it" he explained, Kate nodding slowly as she leant across and kissed him before sighing and pulling back. "You wanted to say something earlier before Alexis interrupted, what was it you wanted to say?" he asked quickly, the comment she'd made returning back to him quicker than she'd imagined.

"Not here" she smiled before opening the door and climbing out of the car. "Tonight, seven o'clock" she stated, Rick nodding as she shut the door and ran to the apartment entrance; waving his hand quickly before he began to drive off. Running into the building, Kate smiled as she climbed into the lift; clutching the present he'd given her close to her chest before she left the metal box and approached the apartment. Unlocking the door, she sighed as she heard her parents talking from inside; the sound of her mother's voice clearly highlighting that she was stressed.

"Jo you look beautiful" Jim sighed from the other side of the door, Kate listening as she felt her smile grow. "You always look beautiful" he explained, Kate sitting down on a nearby chair as she just listened; never surprised by how in love her parents sounded when they didn't know she was there.

"But we're going to dinner with one an actress and two she's the actress you had the biggest thing for when we were dating" Johanna moaned as Jim laughed gently, the sound of them kissing making Kate groan.

"Johanna Elizabeth Beckett, I chose you because you're the most perfect woman on this world except for our little girl" he explained, Kate grinning at her father's comment. "So what if I had a thing for Martha Rodgers when we first started dating, you had a thing for that guy from whatever" he laughed, Johanna giggling as Kate rolled her eyes at them both; sometimes her parents were worse than her and Rick. "I fell in love with you and that's a lot more than anything I felt towards Martha Rodgers when I was younger and extremely immature" he smiled as Kate rolled her eyes at her father.

"You still love me as much as you did back then James Beckett?" Johanna asked as Kate relaxed for a moment; knowing that she should really be getting dressed for the family dinner that night.

"More" Jim smiled, the sound of them kissing making Kate stand and walk towards her bedroom; her hands still clinging to the box the writer had given her. Entering her bedroom, she sighed as she shut the door and sat herself on her bed; resting the wrapped box on her lap as she smiled lightly. Removing the lid, Kate stared in shock as she lifted the new book of the box and held it in her hands in amazement. This was Rick's new book! Finding a note, Kate laughed as she lifted the scrap paper into her hands and stared at the handwritten note.

_The first ever published copy for the woman who inspired me to finish it. Read the disclaimer, I know you'll guess who it's about. _

_Rick x _

Opening the book, Kate smiled as she found the page Rick was talking about and felt her mouth drop in shock. _To the woman with the beautiful eyes, thank you for inspiring my mind and my heart. _He'd dedicated the book to her! Katherine Beckett! Hearing a knock at the door, she turned to see her mother standing in the doorway; confusion covering her face as she noticed her daughter's shocked face.

"Do I really look that terrible?" Johanna asked, Kate's head shaking as she passed the book to her mother and watched as the lawyer read the page to herself. "And?" the older brunette asked as Kate stood up and pointed at the words.

"The woman with the beautiful eyes is me" Kate explained as Johanna nodded slowly, taking in her daughter's shock. "He dedicated the new book to me mom" she smiled, sitting back down on the bed before she squealed; Johanna laughing at her daughter's excitement. "Richard Castle said I inspired his book" she giggled.

"And his heart apparently" Johanna smiled, resting the book on her daughter's bedside table before laughing. "We're going to get going in around an hour so you better start getting ready Katie" the brunette explained as Kate nodded and looked across at where the dress she'd chosen to wear was hanging.

"Mom you look beautiful tonight" Kate smiled as her mother began to walk towards the door; the older woman beaming at her daughter's comment.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Knocking on the door of Rick's apartment, Kate smiled as she turned to see her parents standing behind her; Jim's arm lightly wrapped around his wife who was whispering something to him. Watching the door open, Kate smiled as the young redhead appeared in the doorway and immediately wrapped her arms around the brunette who laughed and rested her hand on Alexis' back as they slowly entered the apartment.

"Alexis you're not supposed to answer the door, where's your dad or gram?" Kate asked quickly as she shut the door behind her parents and watched as the young redhead looked towards Rick's office.

"Mother can you please try and be normal tonight?" everyone heard Rick ask from his office as Martha laughed at his comment. "It's not funny, this is important and I really want to impress Kate's parents and having you say all your crazy stuff isn't going to help" he explained, Kate's cheeks going red as she felt her parents watching her.

"Richard, I am a creative spirit" the older redhead began as Kate watched Alexis shake her head and sit down on the floor. "I need to be able to allow my creativity to be free" she laughed, Jim smiling as Johanna stood in shock; the sound of the door opening making Kate groan. "Richard we have visitors" Martha called behind her as she stepped out to see everyone staring at her; the writer quickly running out, his eyes immediately noticing the nervous look on Kate's face. "Sorry about that, Rick thinks I'm going to be embarrassing" the older redhead explained as she approached Jim and Johanna who were slowly nodding. "I'm Martha and you must be Jim and Johanna" she explained, shaking their hands quickly as Rick snuck over and wrapped his arms around Kate. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here" Rick whispered into Kate's ear as she smiled weakly and turned to face him. "Alexis isn't supposed to open the door and…" he began before her finger rested on his lips and silenced him.

"It's fine, they seem to be getting on okay" she explained, her head turning to look towards the three adults who were currently laughing together.

"Daddy what's that smell?" Alexis called up from the floor, both Martha and Rick tensing as they looked towards the kitchen.

"Oh sh…" Martha began.

"Mother watch your language" Rick warned before they ran towards the kitchen together; Kate's eyes rolling as her parents both laughed nervously. "This is why you don't cook" they all heard Rick moan. "Where's the take out menu?" he asked before reappearing. "Kate where did I put the menus this morning?" he asked, both Johanna and Jim watching as the brunette rolled her eyes and approached the bookshelf before removing them from their hiding place. "You are wonderful".

"I know" she smirked, kissing his cheek quickly before they sat down on the couch; Alexis jumping in beside Kate as Martha sat herself down in an armchair, the two Beckett's sitting together on the other couch.

"Everyone choose something" Rick explained, passing around the menus he'd collected over time. "I'm sorry about dinner" Rick sighed, everyone beginning to explain that it was alright before the room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

"I heard you went to the zoo Alexis" Johanna began, the younger redhead nodding as she stared at the older woman opposite her.

"I saw a tiger, he was orange like me" the redhead explained as both Jo and Jim laughed, looking across to see their daughter cuddled up into the writer's side as his arm wrapped tightly around her; his focus currently on ordering down the phone while Kate just remained against him silently. "And we saw lots of monkeys, they were naughty" Alexis explained, Jim laughing at the redhead's excitement.

"Katie's favourite were the monkeys" Johanna admitted as the redhead turned to look at the woman beside her who quickly nodded in agreement to the statement. "It used to take us what felt like forever to get her to move on to the next animal" the lawyer explained, pink running to Kate's cheeks as Rick laughed and pressed a kiss to the back of her head.

"Can we go and talk?" he asked, Kate nodding as she stood up and laced fingers with him. "Excuse us for a minute" Rick smiled; the three adults nodding as they listened to Alexis explain in detail their trip to the zoo and her new tiger toy. Entering his office, Kate smiled as she felt Rick's arms wrap around her the moment the door shut behind them. "What did you think of the book?" he whispered, the brunette turning in his arms quickly as she ran her hands to his cheek.

"It was perfect" she whispered, kissing him gently as he smiled and ran his hands to the small of her back; unable to move himself away from her. "I squealed when I saw it" she admitted, the writer laughing as she nodded slowly and remained still in his arms. "Is it really the first copy Rick?" she asked.

"I begged them to give me the first one so I could give it to the inspirational woman" he explained as Kate shut her eyes. "What's wrong Katie?" he asked, noticing how her head had moved closer to rest against her chest.

"You wrote that I inspired your mind and your heart. Is that true?" she asked; his head nodding slowly before she kissed him gently and relaxed in his arms again as he continued to press small kisses into her cherry scented hair. He adored having her in his arms and he never wanted her to leave them; even though he knew that was ridiculous.

"I've never felt this way towards someone Kate" he admitted, his eyes shutting as she smiled against him. "You're special" he added, a small laugh leaving her lips as she moved away from him slightly so she could look at him properly. "You're just an extraordinary young woman Katherine Beckett and I can't help but adore everything about you" he explained, her mouth opening to speak before they were interrupted by the sound of a knock at the door. Turning their heads, they watched as it creaked open and Martha appeared.

"Pizza's here" the redhead explained, the couple nodding quickly as they watched her shut the door as she left them.

"I want to ask you something quickly" he admitted, Kate nodding as she felt his fingers lace with hers again; the comfort she felt from the touch surprising her. "I want to take you away for the weekend" he explained, shock covering her face as he smiled. "Just the two of us to the Hamptons" he added, Kate laughing as she continued to stare at him. "I know we haven't been dating that long but I feel like we need some time alone to get to know each other and what's better than a house where there is no one else around for miles" he explained, Kate laughing as she quickly nodded and threw her arms around his neck. "Do you want to ask your parents?" he asked.

"I'll tell them of course but I'm eighteen, I'm allowed to go where I want with who I want" she explained before approaching the door. "We're going on holiday" she squealed, his eyes rolling as she opened the door and they stepped out to see everyone sat around the coffee table eating pizza. Sitting herself down beside the writer, Kate smiled as they both went towards the same slice of pizza; the writer slowly moving away as she giggled and took the slice from the box.

"Jim was telling me about how he used to see a lot of my work Richard" Martha admitted as Kate began to choke on the bite of pizza she'd just taken, worry covering Rick's face as he watched her groan and turn away for a moment. "Are you okay Kate?" the redhead asked as the brunette slowly nodded and reached across for her glass of water; desperately trying to cut out the idea of her father sat watching the redhead adoringly when they were both younger. "Jim was apparently a large fan of my work" the redhead smirked as Jim looked down; trying to hide the embarrassment that was covering his face as Johanna laughed beside him. "Why do I feel like I'm missing out on something?" she asked quickly,

"Jim had a thing for you Martha when we first started dating" Johanna explained, Kate groaning as she buried her head against the writer's shoulder; hating where the conversation was going. The situation was already awkward enough without the confession that her father liked her boyfriend's mom.

"Oh wonderful! I love meeting fans, I wouldn't be nervous Jim; I receive a lot of male attention like that" Martha explained, Rick groaning as he moved closer to Kate who was still attempting to hide against his shoulder.

"And this is why I begged you to act normal tonight" the writer moaned, Kate giggling lightly as Alexis began to hum to herself beside the brunette; not knowing what everyone was talking about around her.

XOOXOXOXOXO

"Kate, we need to get going" Johanna sighed as she looked across at her daughter; noticing the small redhead who was curled up beside her almost asleep.

"I'll meet you at the car, I just want to say goodnight to Alexis" Kate explained, the dark haired woman nodding before she said goodnight to everyone and walked out of the apartment with her husband; Kate smiling as Rick lifted the younger redhead into his arms. "I don't think it went that bad" the brunette explained, both of them turning to look at Martha who'd collapsed on the couch half an hour ago. "Who am I kidding? It was terrible" she explained, Rick nodding as he began to walk up the stairs with his half asleep daughter.

"I don't think there are any more secrets between our families which is unfortunate because some of the things mother said I would have liked to have kept secret" he admitted, Kate groaning as she pushed the door open for him and watched as Rick rested the redhead on her bed. "Pumpkin, you need to get in your pyjamas" he whispered, his daughter nodding as she reached across for her pyjamas and disappeared into the en-suite bathroom to change.

"Yeah, I didn't really want to tell my parents about the police horse incident but your mom did a good job of informing them of all the details" Kate smiled as he shut his eyes and shook his head; remembering the shocked faces of Johanna and Jim when his mother admitted Rick had been arrested for indecent exposure and for stealing a police horse. Hearing the door creak open, Kate turned to see Alexis standing in the doorway yawning. "Come on pumpkin, let's get you into bed" she smiled, the redhead nodding as she slowly walked over and slid into her bed. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Kate smiled as she felt Rick's hand rest on her shoulder. "Good night Alexis, I'll see you soon" Kate whispered, leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to the child's forehead before she stood up and allowed Rick to say goodnight to his daughter before kissing her as well and turning the light out; leading Kate out of the room slowly.

"I don't want you to go" he moaned, Kate laughing gently as his hand ran to her cheek.

"A whole weekend Rick, just think about that" she explained before kissing him. "I'll call you, you can give me all of the details then" she stated, the writer nodding before they kissed again, not wanting to be separated when they had the opportunity for a moment alone together. "Just think about the Hamptons" she sighed before moving away and walking down the stairs, the sound of the apartment door closing a few moments later making him laugh. They were going to the Hamptons.

**So what do you think? I'm not completely sure but hopefully you enjoy it. Anyway, any ideas you have towards this story, especially things they can do in the Hamptons, I'm quite grateful to hear about and I'll see if I can put them into the story. Also thank you for the amazing response this story continued to receive, I can't quite believe how wonderful all your comments have been and I hope you continue to respond in such a wonderful way. **

**See you with the next chapter **

**Jessie**


	14. Chapter 14

**This chapter is a shorter one in comparison to the others but its filler and the next chapter will be the start of their Hampton holiday. I hope you enjoy it and please review, your response has been amazing in the past and I hope you continue to enjoy this just as much. Honestly, the amount of people who have said this is one of the favourite stories has surprised me in the greatest way! **

"Mom, dad I need to talk to you about something important" Kate sighed as she entered the living room to look at both of her parents, worry covering their faces as she stood in front of them and let out a deep breath. "Mom, dad I'm…" she began.

"Oh god you're pregnant aren't you? I'm going to kill that man" Jim announced, standing quickly as Kate shook her head and laughed; smiling at how her father's first thoughts were pregnancy.

"I'm not pregnant, I've not even slept with Rick yet" Kate laughed as the man relaxed and sat himself back down beside his wife who rolled her eyes and quickly took her husband's hand. "Rick and I are going away for the weekend to his house in the Hampton's" she blurted out as Johanna smiled lightly at her daughter. "I know that you might not like the idea of us going anyway for a weekend together but I'm eighteen and I'm allowed to go away with who I want" she explained, Johanna laughing gently as she stood up. "Mom…" she began.

"Just be careful okay?" the older woman smiled, kissing her daughter's forehead gently as Jim groaned.

"Thanks mommy, you're the best" she whispered, hugging her quickly before walking towards her bedroom. Hearing her mother following her, Kate smiled as she entered her bedroom and watched her mother enter the room with her; the lawyer shutting the door beside her before she sat down on the edge of Kate's bed. "You okay mom?" she asked as the older brunette nodded slowly.

"I just want to know that if anything makes you feel uncomfortable when you're away, I'll come and get you okay? I know that you're eighteen and grown up now but you're still my baby and I will come and get you if you need me too" she explained, Kate smiling as she quickly wrapped her arms around her mother and sighed. "You and Rick are getting serious aren't you?" she asked, running her hands to her daughter's cheek as Kate nodded slowly. "And you want to start doing things?" the older woman asked as Kate nodded slowly, slightly embarrassed that she was talking to her mother about this.

"Rick's different to everyone else" Kate explained as Johanna nodded slowly. "He isn't pushing me into this mom, he's kinder than anyone else and he treats me like the only woman on the planet. He dedicated a whole book to me mom" she laughed, the brunette nodding again as Kate laughed gently and relaxed back on her bed.

"Just be careful okay? You don't want to be telling your dad in a couple of months that you're pregnant because he will kill Rick for that. He's a protective dad and he won't think twice about making sure that Rick has no more babies" Johanna laughed as Kate nodded and stared at her mother with a small smile covering her face.

"I love you mom" Kate smiled as Johanna laughed gently and leaned across to press a kiss to her daughter's forehead. "Rick wants to meet for dinner when we get back from the Hamptons on Monday" the brunette admitted as the older woman nodded and smiled.

"I'll tell your dad and I'll meet you at the restaurant after work okay? I have a huge amount to get done but I will defiantly be there because I will want to know all about this break" Johanna explained as Kate nodded and laughed; hugging her mother quickly before the older woman stood up and sighed. "I better go and calm your father down and try to persuade him that you're defiantly not pregnant" she smirked, Kate's eyes rolling as she watched her mother leave the room again. Kate couldn't imagine a world without her mother in because she kept everything calm!

XOXOXOXOXOXO

"So are they letting me steal you away for the weekend?" Rick asked as he sat on the couch, the phone pressed against his ear while Alexis was curled up fast asleep against his side. It was strange spending a whole day without seeing the brunette woman and he'd missed her a lot, his daughter missing her almost as much.

"Yes, they've agreed to let me come with you for the whole weekend Mr Castle" she smiled, the writer smiling at the sound of excitement in her voice. "You have my all alone for Friday afternoon, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Are you sure you're not going to be bored of me by the end of the weekend?" she asked as he smiled.

"I could never be bored of you Katherine Beckett" he explained as she giggled lightly and relaxed on her bed. "You're my inspiration and the only woman who can make me smile in the way that you do" he admitted as Kate giggled lightly at his comment. "Also you have a gorgeous personality and you are so beautiful and my daughter also adores you more than any other woman on this planet" he smiled as Kate nodded gently. "You are my ideal woman".

"You're just making things up now Richard Castle" she laughed gently as the writer smiled at her laughter. He loved it when she laughed; he couldn't help but smile at the sound. "I better go, I need to pack as we're going in two days and I have loads to get done" she smirked, the writer moaning at the sound of her saying goodbye.

"I don't want you to go" he moaned as she giggled lightly. "I haven't seen you all day Katie, I'm having withdrawal symptoms" he explained, Kate laughing as she shut her eyes and just listened to sound of him now laughing as well.

"Just remember Mr Castle, we have the whole weekend together on the beach, no one around for miles and me in a bikini" she smirked, the writer groaning as she giggled lightly. "I'm going to have so much fun this weekend" the brunette smiled before she sighed. "Now I really have to go so I'll see you soon and I promise I'll make up for your withdrawal symptoms".

"You better do Kate" he smirked before he looked down to see his daughter now staring up at him. "I have to go, Alexis is awake and it's bedtime" he smiled, Kate groaning this time as she sighed. "I'll see you for our amazing weekend together" he laughed.

"I'll see you for a whole weekend of just us Rick" she whispered before they said goodbye and hung up on each other, the writer sighing as he looked down at his daughter and sighed. Life was perfect!

**So what do you think? **


	15. Chapter 15

Hearing the small tap at the door, Kate smiled as she quickly approached the door and opened it to find herself staring at the writer who was nervously waiting. Wrapping her arms around him, Kate smiled as his own tightened around her body; their lips finding each other's quickly as they began to take the kisses that they'd missed the previous days. Moving away slowly, Kate found herself smiling as she stared at the look that covered the writer's face.

"I shouldn't greet strangers like that really" she admitted, the writer laughing at her before he kissed her again, her arms tightening around him before she giggled lightly against his lips and moved back; her eyes locking with his as she ran her fingers to his cheek. "I've missed you the last couple of days, having a couple of phone calls a day is a nightmare Rick, I missed you like crazy" the brunette explained, kissing him lightly as their fingers laced together. "How's Alexis?" she asked as she allowed the writer into the empty apartment.

"She misses you like crazy Kate, she doesn't stop talking about you. She can't wait to see you when we get back from our holiday" he admitted, shutting the door behind him as Kate smiled lightly and began to walk towards her bedroom. Following her, Rick smiled as he stood outside the door and watched her for a moment before she turned and laughed. "You're so beautiful Kate" he sighed; her smile growing as she slowly approached him and held onto his hand before finding her eyes staring into his.

"Do you really think I'm beautiful Rick?" she asked; her voice no louder than a whisper as the writer smiled and cupped her cheek, his lips pressing against her forehead.

"You're stunning. You have these amazing eyes that I adore looking at; I could look at them forever. You're tall but the right height to be in my arms properly and you're extremely sexy and I love your figure more than anything in the world and most of all your beautiful because of what's inside. You have an extraordinary personality and strength" he explained, kissing her lightly as she smiled gently at his comments. "Katie, never doubt how beautiful you are" he begged, her head nodding slowly before she moved away from him and went over towards her case. "You ready to go?" the writer asked; her head nodding as she pulled her hair back away from her face. "Where are your parents Kate? I thought they'd be here to say goodbye"

"They're both working, mom has this major case that she's becoming obsessed with" she admitted, Rick nodding as he stared at the brunette who was slowly carrying her case towards them. "I don't think she'll be coming home much this weekend. Dad's already making plans with friends for the weekend to keep herself occupied" he sighed, Kate nodding slowly as she felt the writer's arm wrap around her waist before he took her bag into his own hands.

"I can carry my own bag Rick" she moaned, her eyes rolling as he shrugged and began to walk ahead of her with his bag still in his hands. "Are we really going away together? For a whole weekend to a house where there's no one else around for miles?" she asked, the writer nodding as she giggled and locked the apartment behind her. Turning around, the brunette sighed as she stared at the writer for a moment to see him clinging onto her bag while they remained silent as they began to approach the lift together.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Twenty questions?" he asked as they sat in the car together; a laugh leaving her lips as she ran her fingers through her hair and nodded quickly; relaxing back in the seat as her eyes focused on him while he continued to drive. "Favourite ice cream flavour?" the writer asked quickly as she smiled lightly.

"Chocolate, what girl doesn't like chocolate flavoured anything?" the brunette explained as the writer laughed at her comment. "Yours?" she asked quickly, knowing that she'd always repeat his questions instead of making up her own.

"Strawberry because at least I can say I tried to be healthy when I ate it and people can't accuse me of not trying to eat fruit" he laughed, Kate's eyes rolling as she relaxed back in the seat and continued to watch him. "What was your prom like?" he asked, a small groan leaving her lips as she remembered the evening to perfection.

"I remembered wanting it to be perfect" she sighed, remembering how she'd spent hours in front of the mirror getting ready while Madison had just appeared looking perfect like always. "And it wasn't fair because Madison didn't even need to try and she looked stunning, she just walked out of my en-suite in this red dress and just looked completely amazing" she moaned, Rick smiling as he listened to her. "I was in this dark blue dress which mom and I had spent hours looking for and I didn't even feel slightly pretty next to Madison" she explained, Rick reaching across for her hand as Kate shut her eyes .

"Remember the coffee shop" he whispered, Kate murmuring as he smiled. "When you walked in with your friends, my eyes immediately went to you. I didn't even notice Madison or the other girl, I just saw you. This stunning young woman who seemed so different to everyone else, who seemed real compared to her friends who were different, like they were putting on an act" he explained, Kate smiling lightly as she turned her head to look at him. "Madison is nothing compared to you Katherine Beckett, you are real".

"What was your prom like Rick?" she asked gently, wanting to remove the focus from her own. "I bet yours was amazing".

"I went with my friends and my prom date. She was the most beautiful girl in the whole school and I was so glad to be seen with her" he explained as Kate nodded slowly. "If I compare her to you, she was nowhere near as beautiful as you Katie" he smiled, her eyes rolling before stared at him. "We filled the punch bowl with alcohol and drank too much, I can't remember much of my prom after that" he laughed, Kate smiling as she took in the grin that was covering his face. "I just remember waking up in my friends shower soaking wet".

"Did you ever find out how you got there in the end?" the brunette asked quickly as he shook his head, the two of them laughing at his lack of memory.

"I don't think my friend even remembered getting home himself but almost all our friends from school were in his apartment somewhere asleep" he smirked, Kate laughing at his comment before she turned to look at him. "I remember his mom's face when she came downstairs in the morning to find us all over the place" he recalled, Kate nodding as she stared out of the window in amusement.

"Do you feel like you've missed out on something because you haven't had a father around?" she asked, his head shaking as she watched him.

"I could make my dad whoever I wanted him to be" he explained, the brunette staring at him as he sighed. "He could be a doctor one day and an astronaut the next" the writer admitted, Kate nodding slowly as she stared at him. "Also, I had the most amazing mother who gave me everything I could ever want" he added, Kate smiling as she watched him in amazement. "She raised me on her own, she kept her career going and she told me I could be whatever I wanted. She completely supported me as a writer and when Alexis was born and everything began to go wrong she was always a phone call away".

"She's an amazing woman" Kate commented.

"She's Martha Rodgers', she's an inspiration to many women and the thoughts of many men out there. She has to be amazing for that" the writer laughed. "And I've left my daughter with her for the whole weekend; hopefully Alexis' sanity will have some influence over my mother rather than the other way around".

XOOXOXOXXOXO

Pulling up outside the house, Rick sighed as he looked across at the brunette who was leaning against the window fast asleep; his smile growing as he reached across and rested his hand on her shoulder. Groaning, Kate sighed as she quickly opened her eyes and found herself staring at the writer who smiled at her quickly before she sat up and ran her fingers through her dark hair; attempting desperately to wake herself up.

"We're here" he whispered, Kate smiling weakly as she looked across at the house in front of her. "It's not amazing but I like it and it gets me away from the city when I need some time alone or with my amazing girlfriend" he smirked, climbing out of the vehicle before he walked over and opened her door; the writer smiling as she stepped out of the car and stared at him.

"How many women have you brought here?" she asked quickly, staring at him as he smiled and ran her hand to his cheek. "Is this where you bring women when you want to sleep with them because honestly if that's the only reason I'm here Rick, I got the wrong idea of you" she explained, moving away from him slightly.

"Kate" he began.

"Is that all you want from me Rick because I thought maybe I meant something to you?" she ranted as he smiled weakly at her.

"Kate" he interrupted.

"I let you take me away and all of a sudden, I find out you've brought me to the place where you bring all the women you meet" she hissed.

"Kate" he laughed, grabbing her hand as she fell silent. "I meant you, you're my amazing girlfriend and you are also the first woman other than my daughter and mother who I've brought here" he explained, her head looking down as she bit into her lip. "This isn't somewhere I use to sleep with women, this is the place I feel safe and I want you to be a part of that" the writer explained, wrapping his arms around her as she rested her head against his chest.

"Sorry, I just overreacted" she admitted, the writer nodding before he lifted her into his arms; the brunette squealing as she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed him to hold her in his arms.

"You're so light" he commented, her eyes rolling before he carried her towards the door.

"Are you really going to carry me inside?" she asked, his head nodding as he approached the door and pushed it open; carrying her inside as the brunette laughed at him before resting her head against his shoulder, allowing him to hold her close as he kicked the door shut. "You're so cheesy Rick" she admitted as he carried her down the corridor and into the living room; shock covering her face as she took in the view. "Put me down" she whispered, the writer nodding as he allowed her feet to touch the ground and watched as she ran over to the doors; opening them quickly to step onto the porch. "This is amazing" the brunette admitted as she stared at the sea; her arms wrapping around her chest as Rick approached her and allowed his arms to sneak around her waist; enjoying the comfort of her body pressed against his.

XOXOXOXOXO

Walking down the corridor slowly, Kate smiled as she heard talking from Rick's bedroom; her body instantly moving closer to his bedroom door.

"I love you too Alexis" he laughed as Kate slowly ran her hand to the door handle and pushed it open slowly to see the writer sat on his bed with the phone pressed against his ear. Entering the bedroom, the brunette smiled as the writer looked across at her and patted the bed beside him; Kate nodding quickly in response. "Look pumpkin, it's bed time so go to sleep and I'll talk to you tomorrow. Make sure you gram behaves" he smiled, listening as he said goodbye to his daughter and hung up. Putting the phone down, he looked across to see the woman staring at him; her grin growing as she slowly leant down and pressed a kiss to his lips

"Can I stay with you tonight?" she asked, the writer nodding as he slowly moved the blanket back and felt her move to cuddle up into his side. "The house really is beautiful Rick, I can't believe it's all yours" she admitted, her eyes shutting as he reached across and turned the light off; feeling her cuddle up closer to him. "Good night" she whispered.

"Good night beautiful" he replied, pressing a kiss into her dark hair before he rested back and shut her eyes; enjoying the warmth of her body against his.

**I hope you enjoy this chapter. I know it's brief and not full of things but the next chapter will be proper Hampton stuff between the couple and we'll be getting deeper into the relationship. Thank you for your amazing reviews, I've loved reading every single one of them and I hope you continue to enjoy this story just as much as you have in the past. **


	16. Chapter 16

**I know it's been ages since I updated and I feel extremely terrible about it but I have had practically all my family here over the last couple of days. It's been a nightmare! I know this chapter is shorter than the rest but I promise to update as soon as possible with more Hampton goodness. Thank you for your amazing reviews with the last chapter, I honestly love hearing from all of you and please continue to review; it honestly does help with the ideas. **

Rolling over in the bed, Kate groaned as she found herself lying on Rick's side of the bed which was empty; her hand running across it to find the space still warm; indicating he hadn't left her long ago. Groaning, she turned to rest on her back before looking up at the ceiling and laughing; remembering the warmth of his arms around her that night and the comfort she'd felt being beside him that night. Hearing footsteps down the corridor, the brunette smirked before she ran her fingers through her hair and moved to organise her clothing as she heard the door creak; her eyes immediately looking up to see the handle moving. Lying back down on the bed, she quickly closed her eyes as the door creaked open and she heard it shut.

"Kate" Rick smiled, staring at her in amazement as she kept her eyes closed; her dark hair flared across the pillow. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, he slowly put the tray of breakfast down on the bedside table and leant across to press a kiss to her lips gently; smiling when Kate began to deepen the kiss and move her hands to run through his hair. "I knew you weren't asleep Miss Beckett" he laughed, staring into her eyes as she began to sit up and looked across at the breakfast he'd prepared.

"You made breakfast for us" she smiled, the writer shrugging as she giggled lightly and leant across to reach for a glass of orange juice; resting back against the headboard as the writer moved to sit beside her. "Thank you for this Rick, its amazing" she admitted, leaning across to press a kiss to his cheek before relaxing and allowing him to pass her the toast. Finishing her breakfast in silence, Kate smiled as she rested against the writer's side and enjoyed the feeling of his arms slowly wrapping around her again.

"What do you want to do today?" he asked gently, a groan leaving her lips as she stared up at him; their eyes locking briefly before she gently pressed a kiss to his lips; his hands moving to rest on her back as she moved to straddle him, their lips still moving together gently. "We can't spend all day doing this, however much I want too" he laughed, running his hands down her back as she groaned and rested her forehead against his; keeping her eyes shut as she enjoyed the feeling of being close to him again.

"The beach" she whispered before kissing him again, the two of them laughing when she moved away from him and stood up; her fingers running through her hair as she relaxed. "I want to spend the day on the beach with you" she smirked as she stared at her reflection in the mirror and noticed the writer who was watching her, the largest smile covering his face as he just observed her run her fingers through her hair. "I'm going to go and change" she admitted, turning around as he nodded before standing and approaching his unpacked suitcase.

"Meet you downstairs?" he asked, Kate nodding before she walked over and kissed him lightly before running out of the room; the writer's eyes rolling as she shut the door and disappeared towards the room that had been given to her for the weekend.

XOOXOXOXOXO

Staring out of the door, Kate sighed as she stood behind the door and just watched the writer sit on the end of the porch; her smile growing as she caught her bottom lip with her teeth. Letting out a deep breathe, she slowly approached the door and stepped out; the boards creaking under her feet as she smiled. Turning his head, the writer stared at the brunette who was dressed in an olive green bikini; her smile growing as he stood up and slowly approached her; his arms wrapping around her as she giggled lightly.

"You're stunning" he whispered, Kate laughing as she kept close to him; the writer smiling before he lifted her into his arms and spun around; the brunette squealing as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and allowed him to carry her onto the beach. Approaching the water, he smiled as the brunette stared at him and slowly kissed him; the water covering his ankles as he stood with his lips pressed against hers. "I'm going to put you down now" he admitted, Kate nodding as she slowly felt her feet touch the water and squealed at the strange warmth that she gained from it.

"I can't believe we're here together Rick" the brunette laughed as Rick nodded quickly in agreement before moving away from her and splashing her with the water; Kate giggling at the feel before she did the same back to him. "I thought when I woke up that this might have been a dream but then I felt the warmth in the bed and the footsteps on the stairs and it was all real" she admitted, kissing him lightly before she threw her arms around his neck and allowed him to keep her close to his body.

"I remember waking up this morning the happiest I've been in a long time" he sighed, pressing a kiss to her forehead before he looked down and smiled. "I remember waking up to you curled up in my arms; your head pressed against my chest and your arms flung over my chest" he explained, brushing his hand across her cheek as she continued to stare into his eyes; her lips quickly moving to his as he tightened his arms around her, resting on the small of her back as he continued to kiss her. "Can I also just say you look really sexy in this bikini Miss Beckett? I think it should be illegal for people to wear things like this, especially women as extraordinary as you" he smirked, Kate laughing as she moved away slowly and ran further into the water; the writer chasing after her as she squealed at the feeling of the water splashing around her. Stopping, the writer smiled as he watched her standing in the water; amusement covering her face as she turned and laughed at the sight of him just watching her. "You're so beautiful" he whispered.

"Thanks" she smiled gently.

XOXOXOOOOX

Sitting on the beach, the brunette smiled as the writer walked out with two glasses of lemonade; his smile growing as he sat down and she quickly pressed a kiss to his cheek before taking one of the glasses from him. Wrapping one arm around her, he sighed as she rested against him and shut her eyes; his arm tightening around her quickly before he pressed a kiss into her cherry scented hair and relaxed.

"It's beautiful here" she admitted, opening her eyes to look across at the beach. "I can't believe quite how beautiful it is, you're lucky to have your own beach" the brunette explained, resting her glass on the sand as his arm slipped around her waist and rested against her side; his fingers brushing up and down her bare skin. "Rick" she whispered, looking up at him to see him staring out at the water. "Kiss me" she mumbled, the writer smiling before he turned his head to look at her. Leaning down, he slowly pressed his lips against hers as she began to lean back and rested against the sand; the writer continuing to kiss her as she ran her fingers through his hair and moaned into his mouth. Running his hand down, he smirked as he quickly cupped her ass and heard a groan before she kissed him again; her arms tightening around his neck as he kept her close to him. Feeling his lips move down her neck, the brunette sighed before she reached her hand to chest and pushed him back slightly. "Not yet" she whispered, the writer nodding before he sat up and returned his focus to the sea.

"Okay" he smiled, Kate sitting up quickly before she looked at him. Watching as the writer began to write something into the sand, she felt her smile grow as she observed the actions. Resting back, the writer sighed as she looked across in shock; her teeth sinking into her bottom lip as she felt Rick's hand rest on her back. _I love you _was drawn into the sand and Kate couldn't help but laugh gently before she lay across the sand and began to write something as well. Moving back, she watched as the writer looked from her and down at the words shed' written in the sand.

_I love you too _

**I'm not too sure about this but it's all about you. Do you like it? Is it too soon for the I love you? Keep telling me your thoughts. **


	17. Chapter 17

**This chapter sort of jumps around the place during the day but I hope you enjoy it just the same. Please continue to review as your response has really been truly amazing and I hope that you enjoy this chapter just as much as the previous ones. **

"Do we have to go home tomorrow? Couldn't we just stay here forever?" she asked as they slowly walked down the town, his arms tightly wrapped around her waist as they continued to walk down the street together. He couldn't help but enjoy the comfort he got from having her beside him; occasionally pressing a kiss to his cheek when they'd stop outside a shop and stare in through the windows at what was inside. The morning had gone well; the two of them waking up in bed together with their arms tightly wrapped around each other before they'd kissed for a few moments. "So where are we going for breakfast?" she asked as she heard her stomach make a noise, the writer laughing at the noise before he pressed a gentle kiss into her dark hair.

"I think we should go in here for breakfast" he smiled, leading her into a nearby café as she smiled and followed him; enjoying the feeling of him clinging onto her hand. Sitting down at a table near the window, he watched as Kate ran her fingers through her hair and relaxed; the sound of footsteps behind her making him smile as he looked at the older man who was beaming at him. "Hello Dave" he laughed, standing quickly to shake the man's hand.

"Richard Castle, it's been a long time" he smiled, Rick shrugging before he turned around again to see Kate staring at him.

"Dave, this is my girlfriend Katherine Beckett. Katie, this is my friend Dave. We met the first time I bought the house, I brought Alexis here and this is the best place to come for breakfast" he explained, the brunette standing quickly to shake the older man's hand who smiled at her.

"Hi" Kate smiled.

"What a beautiful woman" he smirked, Kate blushing as Rick slowly wrapped an arm around her hips; proudly smiling down at her. "So what do you want for breakfast? Anything you want and I'll make it" he explained as Kate slowly sat herself down in the seat before staring at the list of food in front of her. Quickly saying her order, the brunette watched as Rick recited his order and watched as his friend disappeared again; leaving them alone in the small café again. Reaching across for her hands, Rick smiled as he held onto them as they stared at each other and smirked.

"You really are stunning Katherine Beckett" the writer explained, her eyes rolling before she leant across and quickly pressed a kiss to his lips. "I can't believe how beautiful you are and guess what?" he smiled.

"What?" she laughed, staring at him as he pressed a kiss to the hand he was holding.

"You love me" he smirked, the two of them laughing at his excitement before she rolled her eyes quickly and sighed. "Katherine Beckett, you love me" he whispered, her head nodding slowly before she looked down; the two of them falling silent as Dave quickly brought over their drinks, the two of them thanking him quickly before relaxing back. "And I love you too" he added, her smile growing quickly before she leant across and gently kissed him.

"You're going to never stop saying that are you?" she asked, his head shaking before they both laughed and watched their food be brought over. "Thank you Dave, it looks amazing" she smiled, the older man smirking at her before shrugging at her comment.

"No problem Miss Beckett, anything for a beautiful woman like you" he smirked, Rick's eyes rolling before the man disappeared and they began to eat. "We have dinner tomorrow with your parents right?" he asked, Kate nodding slowly as she sighed.

"Yeah, mom wants to know all about our holiday seeing that this the first time I've ever gone properly away without her or dad with me" she admitted, the writer nodding slowly as he thought about tomorrow was their last day alone in the Hamptons. "I can't believe that we go home tomorrow, I just want to stay here" she laughed, the writer nodding in agreement before he relaxed and stared at her; just watching the large smile that decorated her face. "Stop staring at me, it's creepy" she giggled, not focusing on him as he just shrugged in response.

"I can't stop staring, you're a beautiful woman Katie and I'm afraid that if I shut my eyes you'll disappear and I'll spend the rest of my life looking for you to appear again" he admitted, his eyes still focusing on her as she just sighed.

"I'm not going anywhere Rick, you make me happy and I love you" she explained, clutching his hand again before she relaxed and finished her food; resting her cutlery on the plate before she stood up and moved to sit in the seat beside him. "Don't doubt anything about our relationship Rick; this is the most important thing to me and I'm not going to let it go easily" the brunette admitted before pressing a kiss to his cheek and relaxing beside him; wanting to stay close to him and remove any negative thoughts away from him.

XOXOXOXOOXOX

Noticing her stare at a particular dress, the writer sighed as he noticed the small smile that covered her face before she turned to look at him and grabbed his hand in hers again.

"I'll buy it for you if you want" he shrugged, Kate's head shaking as she wrapped her arms around his chest and pressed a kiss to his cheek before laughing. "Katie, I have money. Let me spoil you with something you really want" he laughed as he cupped her cheek lightly before kissing her; her head shaking before she looked across at the dress again and sighed. "Let me" he whispered, kissing her cheek gently as she relaxed against him.

"It's fine Rick, I don't want you to buy me a dress. You've given me enough this week anyway" she smiled, moving away from him gently as she continued to hold onto his hand. "I'm going to go and get some drinks, you want something?" she asked, the writer nodding as he repeated his order and watched her disappear down the streets. Smiling at the fact she'd disappeared, he quickly entered the store beside him and approached one of the women who were clearly working there.

Stepping out of the store with the two drinks in her hands, Kate immediately noticed the fact that the writer was missing. Standing outside the shop she'd just walked out, the brunette quickly turned to see if the man was stood behind her. Hearing a door shut, she turned to see the writer standing in front of her with a bag in his hands; her eyebrows rising as she took in the shop he'd just walked out of and the name that covered the bag he was holding.

"Rick" she moaned, turning around to begin walking down the street in silence as he followed her. "I told you I didn't want you to buy me a dress" she hissed, not bothering to turn around as she quickly put her sunglasses over her face and began to approach the car that was parked down the street. "Why couldn't you just listen?" she asked quickly, turning as the writer sighed and stared down at the bag in his hands.

"I knew you wanted it, I wanted to do something special for you" he explained, her head shaking as she watched him unlock the car. "Kate, we need to talk about this" he admitted, the brunette nodding as she watched him place the bag in the back of the car before he locked it again and approached her; his arms wrapping around her as she tensed up and looked away from him. "I bought it because I wanted you to have something special, something that you really wanted but wouldn't get" he whispered, her eyes shutting as she shook her head.

"I just don't want you to feel like you have to buy my love Rick. I love you for you, not for your money and I don't want our lives to be defined by the money you earn" she admitted, staring up at him as he quickly cupped her cheek and smiled weakly at her. "I just want us to be normal; I don't want to be a couple who completely focus on money and material things".

"I'm sorry" he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead before she relaxed against him. He should have thought about why she didn't want the dress! "I can take it back if you want but I'd like it if you would keep it. I bought it for you Kate" he explained, the brunette nodding as she smiled and leant up to kiss him gently.

"Just listen to me next time, okay? I say things for a reason" she asked, the writer nodding quickly before they both smiled and tightened their arms around each other before they looked across at the car; holding onto each other as close as they possibly could.

XOOXOXOOXXO

Walking down the beach, Kate smiled as she felt the sand between her toes while the writer continued to hold onto her hand; the two of them enjoying the sound of the ocean beside them. The sun was setting over the water and the brunette couldn't help but stop to watch the sun slowly set in the distance.

"It's so beautiful here, I don't' think I'll ever stop being amazed by this view Rick" she sighed, the writer smiling before he kissed her gently and found her arms tightening around his neck as he continued to hold her. "This has been the best weekend of my life, I don't think I've ever enjoyed the beach as much as this weekend" she admitted as he allowed her feet to touch the ground before she laced her fingers with his.

"I'm just sorry we couldn't be here longer than the weekend" he sighed, Kate shrugging as the beach began to darken and her arms tightened around him. "There's so much of the Hamptons that I want to show you" he explained, sitting himself down on the sand before she sat down and joined him; yawning quickly as he noticed her exhaustion. "Why don't you go to bed? It's been a busy day" Rick admitted as she nodded and stood up; staring down at him for a moment. ."I'm going to do some work before I come up, so you can sleep in my room again if you want" he explained, Kate nodding slowly before she leant down and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"Don't be too long, you make the bed warm and I like you cuddling me. I'll miss you" she smiled before running towards the house; the writer smiling at her as she disappeared inside.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Hearing a tap at the door, Kate groaned as she looked across to the see that the time was two am; another groan leaving her lips as she heard the door squeak open and footsteps approach the bed. Turning around, she smiled at the sight of the writer who was dressed in a pair of dark pants and a white shirt that was slightly unbuttoned; an outfit he hadn't been wearing when she'd gone to bed hours ago.

"What's going on?" she yawned, sitting up as he sat on the edge of the bed and pressed a kiss to her lips gently. "Rick?" she asked, staring across at the clock again before she stretched. "It's two in the morning".

"I know, but I wanted to do something special seeing that it's our last night here Kate" he admitted, the brunette laughing as she relaxed back on the bed. "Wear the new dress, I'll meet you downstairs in a minute" the writer explained before climbing off the bed and leaving the room; the brunette rolling her eyes before she stared at the dress that was hanging over the wardrobe door. Approaching it, she quickly pulled her pyjamas off before changing into the new dress; staring at the way the material flowed over her body; a small laugh leaving her lips as she ran her fingers through her hair and turned to look towards the door. Walking down the stairs, she smiled at the sight of the writer waiting for her downstairs. "You look beautiful" he whispered.

"Thank you" she smiled, her arms wrapping around his neck before he kissed her gently and smiled. "So what are we doing?" the brunette asked as he took her hand and slowly led her towards the door; his smile growing as he felt her tighten his grip. Opening the door, he quickly turned the music on and led the brunette out of the building; shock covering her face as she took in the candle covered porch. "You did this all for me?" she asked, the writer nodding as she smiled and quickly flung her arms around his neck.

"I wanted to make our last night together here special, I wanted everything to be perfect" he whispered, kissing her gently before she moved away to stare at the view around her. "I wanted you to have something special" he explained, holding onto her hand as he led her off the porch. "Dance with me Kate" he smiled; the brunette nodding as she wrapped her arms around his neck and began to sway along to the music. Resting her head against his shoulder, the brunette slowly closed her eyes as her body continued to move along with the writers; his hands resting on the small of her back.

"Where do you see us in the future? Do you see a future with me Rick?" she asked; her voice almost silent as a small smile crept onto his face.

"I see you graduating from college and me being there with your parents, extremely proud of how well you did" he admitted, Kate beaming into his shoulder as she listened to him. "I don't know what will happen but I'd love us to last for a long time; long enough for us to have a future together" he explained, the brunette looking up at him as one of her hands ran to rest of his cheek; both of them stopping moving as they locked eyes. "I'm not going to pressurise you into anything. You're eighteen, you're young and you have everything ahead of you. One day you might meet someone who completely catches your eye and it might be the end of us but I don't want to think about that. I want to live everyday like it's our last because time is precious and I don't want to waste any moment I have with you" he admitted, kissing her lightly as she smiled onto his lips before staring across at the candles. "There's something else" he smiled.

"Yes Rick" she mumbled, remaining close to him as he leant forward and kept his lips close to hers as she laughed.

"Happy four month anniversary Katie" he whispered, his lips moving to hers as she tightened her grip around his neck; wanting to be close to him. "Four months ago today, I saw you for the first time in that coffee shop" he recalled, his lips running to her neck as she shut her eyes and enjoyed the feel of his lips on her bare skin; her hands moving from around his neck to his shirt. "Kate" he muttered against her skin.

"Happy anniversary" she smiled, her fingers beginning to unbutton his shirt.

**So? **


	18. Chapter 18

**Wow! The response to the last chapter was amazing! I can't believe how many of you are enjoying this story and I hope you continue to enjoy it with this chapter; although you might not like the ending. **

"You're not going to leave me are you?" she asked, lying on her side facing away from him; the writer smiling as he slipped back into the bed and wrapped an arm over her body. Keeping her close to him!

"Why would I leave you Katie?" he questioned, pressing a kiss to a bare piece of skin on her back as he took in now tense her body was.

"Because we didn't… because I…" she began, unable to say it as she closed her eyes; shock taking over the writer as he took in what she was saying. She thought he was going to leave her because she had stopped what they were doing earlier that morning. "I'm sorry" she whispered.

"Hey" he smiled, moving her so she was lying on her back and staring up at him. "There's more to a relationship than sex and it's a big thing for you okay" he whispered, kissing her gently as she remained silent. "You only get your first time once and if you're not ready, you're not ready" he explained, the brunette smiling weakly before she hugged him. "And I'm willing to wait because you're special to me and I want you to be one hundred per cent sure" he whispered, holding her close as the brunette rested beside him.

"Soon" she promised.

"I don't care when Kate, it could be next week, next month or even next year. I just want you to be certain" he explained, kissing her lightly as Kate began to relax. "You didn't stay up all night panicking over this did you?" he asked, the brunette shrugging as she cuddled up beside him. "Go back to sleep silly" he laughed, keeping her close as she began to calm down beside him; her eyes slowly shutting as he continued to run a hand slowly up and down her back.

XOXOXOXOOXXO

Entering the bedroom later that morning, the writer sighed as the sight of the brunette who was curled up in the middle of the bed fast asleep; his smile growing at the fact that her dark hair was covering the pillow. Sitting down on the edge gently, he slowly leant forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead and held onto her hand; squeezing it gently as she groaned.

"Don't want to wake up yet" she murmured; the writer smiling at her reaction before he moved closer and pressed a kiss to her lips; a small moan leaving hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "What time is it?" she asked, looking around to see the sun shining outside; her smile growing at the view.

"It's around eleven o'clock Kate" he explained, the brunette groaning as she slowly slipped out of the bed and approached the window. "We don't have to go for another hour yet but I thought I should wake you up, let you see the beach for one last time before we go" he smiled, approaching her before he wrapped his arms around her waist; resting his hands on her stomach as she relaxed back against him.

"This has been an amazing weekend Rick" she admitted, turning to press a kiss to his cheek before she laughed. "This morning was wonderful as well, no one has ever done something that special for me before and I really appreciate it" the brunette smiled, kissing him lightly before their arms wrapped around each other and they just stared out at the ocean. Moving out of his arms slowly, Kate sighed as she looked around to see their clothes from earlier thrown around the room; her eyes shutting before she sighed and allowed herself to breathe. Hearing the main phone ring, she quickly opened her eyes to see the writer approaching the phone by the bed.

"Hello" he smiled, still staring across at the woman who was now collecting their clothes from the floor; her hands holding onto the dress he'd bought her a little tighter than he expected. "Hey pumpkin" Rick laughed, sitting down on the edge of the bed as Kate smirked and watched his smile continue to grow. "I'm coming home tonight; I won't see you till tonight because I'm going to dinner with Kate's family" he explained, watching Kate move their suitcases back onto the bed. "Did you have fun while I was gone? Did gram behave?" he asked quickly, Kate's eyes rolling before she began to put her clothes into the case. "Did she clean the apartment afterwards?" the writer asked, listening to everything his daughter said to him as Kate smiled. "Okay pumpkin, I'll see you later" he smiled, putting the phone down a few moments later.

"So, has your mother done something bad?" Kate smiled, the writer shrugging as he turned to look at her.

"If you say that her having a party and breaking some of my things is bad then yes, she was doing something bad" he explained, the brunette smiling before she leant across and kissed him gently. "My apartment apparently looks like a bomb went off, Alexis finds it scary because she hates disorder. She says she just hides in her room because it's clean" he explained, the woman laughing at his comment before she quickly sat beside him.

"I know what you'll be doing tomorrow Mr Castle" she commented, the writer groaning as he relaxed back on the bed and felt her curl up beside him. "I've got work all week so it's going to be a while before we can meet up again" she explained, another groan leaving his lips as he took in the news. "I'm already behind Rick and I can't fail this class" the brunette admitted.

"I know your work has to come first Kate" he sighed, shutting his eyes as she leant across and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"You can start working on your next book while I'm gone. The two of us can get our work done and then next weekend we'll see each other" she explained as she remained close to him. "Anyway you need to spend some alone time with your daughter and I guess I need to see my friends before they think I've disappeared. The last time I saw Maddy was in the theatre and I left without explaining very much" she admitted, the writer nodding before she kissed him gently and groaned. "She's going to want to know all about us".

"Are you going to tell her everything?" he asked.

"Maybe not everything, I mean I want to keep some things for myself" she smirked before standing up and grabbing some clothes. "I'm going to go and get dressed, we need to leave soon" she admitted, disappearing into the en-suite while he just watched in amazement.

XOXOOOXOXOXOXOX

"When we first met in the coffee shop, did you ever think that we'd end up on holiday together?" she asked as they walked down the beach, their fingers laced together as she sighed. "When you first talked to me, did you think that I'd meet your daughter and you'd be meeting my parents for another dinner?" she smiled as they found themselves beside the car.

"I don't know what I thought when I said hello" he admitted, staring at her as he unlocked the vehicle and looked across at the building. "All I saw was this beautiful woman and I wanted to know you so much" he laughed, Kate nodding as she slipped into the car and stared at him as he joined her and shut the door. "I love you Kate".

"I love you too" she sighed before leaning across and kissing him gently; the brunette relaxing back in the seat as she continued to watch as the writer began to drive away from the house; her smile growing as she stared out of the window and just watched the house disappear in the distance. "Thank you for bringing me here" she explained before shutting her eyes and relaxing.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Entering the small restaurant later that evening, Kate smiled as she noticed her father sat alone at one of the tables; her body quickly moving towards the table before she threw her arms around her father and heard him laugh at the contact.

"Hi daddy" she smiled, moving away as he stared at her; not recognizing the dress she was wearing. Noticing her father's look, the brunette quickly looked down at her dress and laughed. "It's new, Rick bought it for me while we were away" she explained, the older man nodding as he looked around to see the writer standing behind her; a small smile creeping onto his face as Kate looked around. "Where's mom?" she asked.

"She's coming straight here from the office" Jim sighed, Kate nodding as she quickly sat down and watched as her father and boyfriend shook her head. "She'll probably be late, she was hardly home this weekend because she's becoming obsessed with this case" the older man explained as they all sat down. "So tell me, how was your holiday?" he asked quickly.

"It was amazing, the house was right on the beach and I completely loved being there" Kate sighed, remembering seeing the beach for the first time. "The view from the bedroom was completely stunning and the two was amazing; all the people were so nice as well. I met a friend of Rick's as well" she explained as Jim nodded slowly, taking in the excitement that was covering his daughter's face.

Ordering their meals a few moments later, Kate sighed as she turned to look around to see that no one had walked into the restaurant yet. Staring down at her lap, the brunette sighed as the writer reached across and took her hand; clinging onto it in an attempt to comfort her. He could tell that she was worried about where her mother was and he'd learnt enough from Kate to learn that Johanna Beckett was never late for anything she planned.

"Dad" Kate whispered, staring at him as her worry began to increase.

"Okay, I'll go and pay the bill. We'll get take out" Jim explained, Kate nodding as she turned to look at the writer who smiled at her; the two of them watching as Jim disappeared to pay.

"She'll be alright I promise" he whispered, Kate nodding slowly as she forced a smile onto her face. "She's probably just working and forgotten the time, I do it a lot" he explained.

"We can go now" Jim sighed as he approached them; the couple nodding as they stood up.

XOOXOXOXOXOXO

Leaving the lift, Kate sighed as she clung onto Rick's hand and stepped out with the writer and her father; confusion covering her face as she took in the sight of the person who was waiting for them.


	19. Chapter 19

**Wow! The response to the last chapter was extraordinary and I can't believe you said such wonderful things about this story. It really does make me smile to know that you guys are enjoying this and I hope you continue to enjoy this. **

"Katie" the older brunette smiled as she quickly wrapped her arms around her daughter; the younger woman laughing as she clung to her mother for a brief moment. "You've got a small tan" she commented, Kate smiling as she quickly moved away and allowed her mom to look at her for a moment. "And you've got a new dress, you look beautiful Katie" Johanna commented as Rick stared at the younger woman proudly as he waited silently beside Jim Beckett.

"Did you forget about the restaurant Jo?" Jim asked as his wife looked across at him before biting into her lip, obviously ashamed and slightly embarrassed about what had happened.

"I tried calling you Jim but I must have missed you; work was a nightmare today and I couldn't leave so I came here to wait for you and then I realised I'd left my keys in the office when I rushed out" she admitted, Kate's eyes rolling at her mother's explanation while Rick's arm slowly moved to wrap around her hips; Johanna smiling as she observed the couple. "Right is someone going to let me in?" she asked, Jim laughing as he slowly moved to unlock the apartment door; the four of them stepping inside the dark apartment quickly. "So how was the restaurant?"

"We didn't eat; Kate began to get worried so we decided to get a take-out and come and find you instead" Jim explained before pressing a kiss to his wife's forehead.

"Thank god because I'm starving" she laughed, Rick smirking as Kate relaxed against him. "So tell me everything about your holiday, I want to know all the things you two lovebirds did" the brunette explained as she took the bag of food off her husband and entered the kitchen while Kate and Rick laughed at her obvious excitement. "So Kate, Rick tell me about the Hamptons" she explained, bringing the boxes of Chinese into the living room with the help of her smiling husband. Sitting down beside her husband, Johanna watched as Kate kicked off her shoes and curled up beside the writer.

"It was amazing mom" Kate admitted as she prodded the writer with her chopsticks; the writer laughing at her before poking her back. "We were right on the beach and the view looked right across the ocean; it was amazing to look up to every morning" she explained, skipping the fact that she'd spent most of the time curled up beside the writer in bed. Falling silent for a moment as they began to eat, Johanna watched as she stared across to see Rick feeding Kate some of his meal. "This is amazing, why have I never had this before?" she asked, the writer shrugging before they returned to their own meals.

"What did you do there?" Johanna asked, Kate smiling as she remembered all their memories.

"We went into the town and did some shopping yesterday and we spent the day on the beach just playing around in the water the first day we were there" Rick explained as Kate nodded slowly, agreeing with his explanation before she looked across at her parents.

"And last night, he woke me up and there were candles all over the porch and we just danced on the beach. It was completely amazing, I hadn't expected it at all" she added, her mother smiling as Jim remained silent and returned to his meal; still not used to the idea of his daughter being out with an older man in the middle of the night alone. "I'm going to go and get a drink" she admitted before standing, Johanna nodding in agreement before she stood up and followed her daughter out of the room.

"So he planned a romantic surprise for you" Johanna smiled as she entered the kitchen with her daughter; Kate nodding as she laughed at the memory of being woken up at two in the morning by the writer. "Candles, dancing on the beach" the brunette remembered as Kate sighed. "You're one lucky woman Katie" she laughed as her daughter nodded in agreement. "He seems like a nice guy".

"He's amazing and he loves me mommy" she admitted as she turned to look at her mother. "We were on the beach watching the sunset and he wrote in the sand that he loved me" the brunette explained as her mother watched her. "And I told him that I loved him back" she laughed before she walked back into the living room to see her father and boyfriend staring at each other.

"Hey stranger, I was wondering where you'd disappeared off too" Rick smiled as Kate slowly sat down beside him and leant across to press a kiss to his cheek; Johanna smiling at them both as she sat down with her husband and just observed the couple; adoring the look of contentment that covered her daughter's face. Staring up at the clock, Rick sighed as he realised that he would have to leave soon. "I'm going to have to go, Alexis will be waiting up because she'll be excited to see me" he admitted, Kate nodding as she clung onto his hand.

"I'll walk you to the door" she smiled, leading him towards the door as Rick said goodnight to her parents and followed her silently. Stopping outside of the door and out of sight from her parents, Kate smiled before she quickly wrapped her arms around him and their lips joined passionately; his hands running down her bag and clutching onto the material of her dress. "Do you have to go? Can't you stay a bit longer?" she asked, his head slowly shaking as she groaned.

"I can't Kate, however much I want too. Alexis won't go to sleep until I come home and she'll want to know everything about the holiday and I miss my pumpkin" he admitted, the brunette nodding as she continued to hold him close for a moment. "I'll call you tomorrow I promise and then we'll do something next weekend" he explained, pressing a kiss to her lips again before she wrapped her arms around his neck and felt him lift her off the ground for a moment.

"You better call Mr Castle" she laughed as he nodded slowly and kissed her again. "I love you" she whispered, the writer nodding before he hugged her.

"I love you too Katherine Beckett" he smiled into her hair before moving away and opening the door. "Work hard this week, you won't be working at all this weekend because I'm not going to let you out of my sight" he explained as they found themselves holding hands; Kate laughing at his comment before she relaxed and held him close.

"You better go" she sighed, staring at him as he stepped out of the apartment. "I'll see you at the weekend Rick" she explained to him, the writer nodding before he disappeared down the corridor towards the lift; the brunette quickly shutting the door and laughing when he was finally gone.

XOXOOXXOXO

Entering his apartment, Rick sighed at the sound of a Disney moving playing on the television and the sight of his two favourite redhead's curled up on the couch together. Shutting the door, he laughed as it slammed and Alexis quickly turned around and squealed before running over and jumping into his arms.

"Daddy" she giggled, the writer nodding before he pressed a kiss to his daughter's cheek; the redhead smiling as Martha stood up and laughed at them both. "How was your holiday daddy?" she asked as Rick held her close.

"My holiday was amazing pumpkin" he admitted as Martha raised her eyebrows, his head shaking at his mother's actions. "Not like that mother, we had a lot of fun but we didn't do what you're thinking" he explained, Martha nodding before she walked over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "You look exhausted" he admitted.

"Thanks darling" she moaned before disappearing off towards the stairs. "I'm glad you had a good time with Kate Richard, she's a lovely girl" she admitted as she began to walk up the stairs, Rick nodding as he continued to hold Alexis in his arms.

"Daddy tell me all about it" she begged as he began to carry her towards the stairs; the redhead wrapping her arms around his neck as he laughed.

"Well Katie and I played on the beach and went shopping" he explained as he entered his daughter's room and placed the already pyjama dressed girl down on her bed. "And we told each other that we love each other" he added, the small girl squealing at the news. "I'm glad your excited pumpkin but you need to go to sleep" he smiled, a groan leaving her lips as she stared at him.

"But she loves you daddy" she laughed, the man nodding as she lay down on her bed and watched as her father put the blanket around her. Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he sighed as the redhead stared up at him. "I love Katie daddy, I don't want her to leave us".

"I know baby, I feel the same" he admitted before standing and leaving the room; smiling at the fact that the woman was so liked by his family.


	20. Chapter 20

**You are going to hate me for this chapter but please, review and I'll update as soon as I possibly can. Thank you for your response to the last chapter, I adore every comment I receive and I love knowing that there's so many people out there who love this story just as much as I love writing it. **

**This chapter mainly focuses on Kate, just a warning for the lack of Rick in it. Also it's a lot smaller in comparison to other chapters but hopefully you'll still enjoyed it. **

"So you and Rick are closer than normal" Johanna observed as she entered the living room to find her daughter sat on the couch nearest the phone with a book on her lap. "And he's also only been gone a day and it's the end of the world to you" she added, Kate groaning as she looked up at her mother and smiled.

"I was going out with Maddy today but she just cancelled because" the brunette shrugged as her mother sat down beside her. "And I think I love you meant that we got closer mom" she smiled in answer to her mother's question; Johanna nodding as she stared at her.

"So tell me everything you couldn't say in front of your dad" the older woman laughed as Kate smiled and put her book down.

"The first night there I decided I didn't want to sleep in my own room so I stayed in his. The whole weekend we were cuddled up together" she admitted. "And at two am, he came in dressed in a suit and he told me to get dressed and everything was so amazing and perfect" she smiled as her mother nodded in response. "And then I told him I was ready to, you know" she muttered, embarrassment covering her face as she bit into her lip and looked down.

"So you and Rick…?" Johanna asked, Kate's head shaking quickly in response. "No?"

"I panicked and he was so nice about it. He told me we didn't need to do it until I was one hundred per cent" she smiled, remembering the feeling of being curled up in his arms and the writer making all her worries go away. "He told me that it was okay that I got scared and he didn't care how long we waited whether it was a week or a year; I just had to be completely certain first" she explained, Johanna smiling at what her daughter had just admitted.

"Then I like this Richard Castle even more than before" the older woman smiled before wrapping her arms around her daughter. "I'm happy for you Katie" she admitted, pressing a kiss into her daughter's hair as Kate relaxed. "He really does love you; you can see it when he looks at you".

"I know" Kate whispered, the sound of the phone ringing making her jump. Reaching across, the brunette quickly brought the phone to her ear. "Hello" she smiled before it disappeared when the other person responded down the line. "Oh… hi dad" she moaned, Johanna laughing at her daughter's disappointment. "Dad can't you just talk to us when you get home? I'm waiting for a phone call" she admitted as Johanna just watched the conversation in amusement. "Okay bye dad" she smiled, putting the phone down quickly as her mother rolled her eyes.

"Your poor father, he probably thinks that you hate him" Johanna commented, Kate shrugging as she relaxed back in her corner of the couch. "Aren't you supposed to be working on something for college?" she asked.

"Shouldn't you be working on something for work?" Kate joked as her mother smiled.

"Touché, now get your butt off the couch and do your work Miss Beckett" Johanna smiled before standing and grabbing her daughter's hands; half dragging her off the couch as Kate just laughed. "Come on, we'll both work at the table and I might even get some ice cream in later".

"I'd like that mom" Kate admitted before disappearing off to find her books as her mother just laughed at her speed.

XOXOXOXOXOO

"Hello stranger" Kate smiled as she pressed the phone against her ear and relaxed in her corner of the couch; watching as her mother brought over a coffee for her and smiled before disappearing. "So what have you been doing today?" she asked quickly, her fingers running through his hair as she heard him laugh down the line.

"Sorry Alexis is dancing around with my mother at the moment; its' pretty amusing" he smirked, Kate laughing gently as she thought about the two of them. "I've just been working today really, I've written most of the plan for the newest book and I've spent some time with my daughter as well and now she's having a crazy moment" he explained as Kate nodding slowly as she listened to his voice. "So what did you do today?" he asked.

"I did some work for college with mom, she was working on the case she took" she admitted before he sighed. "We had some ice cream for lunch and later we're going to make dinner for my dad because he's been working today" the brunette explained, hearing him laugh again before she heard Alexis began to sing in the background. "Is that Alexis? She's got a beautiful voice" she admitted.

"Thank you, she's such a silly thing" he smiled before sighing. "I missed you today Katie, I don't think I can wait until the weekend" he explained as she laughed gently at his comment.

"I missed you too" she explained. "I spent most of this morning waiting by the phone until mom made me do some work" she admitted as the writer smiled. "I was starting to get really worried that you weren't going to call me" Kate laughed.

"I'm always going to call Katie, I love you" he explained, her smile growing as she shut her eyes briefly and attempted not to giggle.

"I love you too Rick" she smiled, staring across the room to see her mother standing with a mug of coffee; a small grin covering the brunette's face as she listened to her daughter's side of the conversation.

"Look Katie, however much I want to talk to you, I've got to go" he moaned, Kate nodding slowly before she shut her eyes. "I promised to take mother and Alexis out for dinner and Alexis has to be in bed for a certain time so I'll talk to you tomorrow" he explained, the brunette nodding as she groaned.

"I love you" she muttered.

"I love you too" he replied before they said goodbye and put the phone down.

XOOXOXOXOXO

Entering the apartment later that night, Jim Beckett sighed as he clung to the paper that was in his hands. Hearing laughter, he slowly entered the kitchen to see the two brunettes' cooking pasta while the radio played in the background. Turning her head, Kate smiled as she quickly looked around to see her father standing in silence as he fist continued to cling to the recently bought paper.

"Hi daddy" she smiled, the man sighing as she watched him in confusion before he reached into the fridge and took out a can of beer before drinking it. "Dad what's going on?" she asked, Johanna turning to observe her husband drinking the alcohol before she approached him and took the paper from his hands. Staring at the front cover, Johanna shut her eyes for a moment as Kate just watched in shock. "What's going on?" she asked as her parents looked across at her before her mother slowly passed the paper to her.

"Katie" Johanna whispered as the younger brunette stared at the front page to see a picture of herself with the writer with the caption **MYSTERY WRITER DATING YOUNGER WOMAN**! Dropping the paper on the floor, Kate bit into her lip before shutting her eyes and shaking her head; trying not to think about it. "Katie, do you want to talk about it?" Johanna asked before Kate shook her head again and slowly left the room; trying not to cry.


	21. Chapter 21

Entering her daughter's room, the older brunette sighed as she found her daughter curled up on her bed; her arms clutching onto her old bear as Johanna continued to watch her. Approaching the bed, the older brunette sighed as her daughter quickly shook her head.

"Rick just called again Katie" she admitted, the brunette shrugging before she shut her eyes. "That's twenty times in the last hour Kate and that's before I even start counting the times since you locked yourself in here last night" Johanna explained before Kate shut her eyes and buried herself under her blanket; her mother sighing as she remained silent. "You've got college today" she whispered.

"I'm not going in today" the younger woman admitted from under the covers; Johanna sighing as she reached across and rested her hand on her daughter who was sobbing again. "I'm on the front of the most popular paper in New York mom; everyone is going to be looking at me. I'm going to stay here until it calms down" she explained through her sobs.

"And what about Rick? What about the man who you were madly in love with yesterday and who you're now refusing to talk too?" Johanna asked as Jim began to move up and down the corridor outside her room. "He loves you Katie and he desperately wants to talk to you and explain but you're building that wall up again".

"I'm not building up a wall" Kate responded as she continued to cling to her bear. "I just want some time to think mom. It's not every day your face appears all over the papers because you're dating an older and richer man" the brunette explained as Johanna continued to watch her; hating the fact that her daughter was so upset and she couldn't help.

"I'm going to take the day off" Johanna explained, Kate's head shaking as the woman groaned and stood up. "Don't argue with me Katie, you're my little girl and you need me more than anything else on this planet" she whispered, leaving the room for a moment, the door shutting behind her as she listened to her daughter sob again. Her little girl was lost and buried deep beneath another wall and she didn't know what to do to help.

XOXOXOOXOXXOXO

"She's not answering my calls, Johanna keeps telling me she doesn't want to speak to me" Rick sighed as he collapsed onto the couch and found his mother staring at him. "I didn't have any idea about the papers mom and now my eighteen year old girlfriend is being called all sorts of shit because of me" he explained, Martha's head shaking as he continued to stare at him. "She's never going to speak to me again".

"Don't be dramatic Richard" Martha sighed as he looked down. "She loves you, it's just a very big thing for a young woman to understand especially when she is forced into the spotlight" she explained as Rick nodded. "You just have to remind her why you're together and hope that this doesn't terrify her away".

"Kate's shy. She doesn't like being the centre of attention" he admitted, thinking about the brunette who had been so cheerful the previous day and had been waiting for him to call and who was now refusing to answer the phone to him. "What if she doesn't want to see me again?" he asked, his mother rolling her eyes as she stared at him.

"Richard Castle you're almost thirty years old. Grow up! Kate is just scared, it was a horrible article and I don't blame her for being slightly nervous about it" the older redhead smiled before standing and watching as Alexis ran over to her father and jumped onto him.

"Daddy when are we going to see Katie again?" she asked, the writer sighing as he pressed a kiss into her red hair and felt her cuddle up beside him. "I miss Katie daddy".

"I miss her too" he explained as he tightened his arms around her.

XOXOOXXOOXOXO

"Kate, Maddy's on the phone" Johanna sighed as her daughter slowly sat up and took the phone from her; the younger woman trying to calm herself down in the brief moment before she brought the phone to her ear.

"Hey Maddy" Kate whispered, still sounding upset as she spoke to herself.

"I saw you in the papers on the way to college today" Maddy explained; her excitement obvious in her tone. "A rich man Kate, I thought it was weird that you were dating a guy but when they mentioned money I could sort of understand why you're with him" she explained, shock covering Kate's face as she took in what her best friend was saying to her! "And I guess he's not that bad looking, shame about his wife. Is it true that they were working at being together again when you appeared in his life?" Madison began, remembering everything the article had said.

"That's not true" Kate declared. "That's just gossip Maddy, you know that. You know me" she hissed.

"Sure Kate" Maddy said sarcastically. "Have you two done it yet? I bet he's really good in bed, especially after all the women he's bee with. My mom's a fan of some of his work and she says he's seen with a different woman every week" she explained. "I bet he was great when he had you Kate, I mean we all know that you broke up with the last guy over sex".

"We?" Kate asked, Johanna starting to worry as she watched her daughter's facial expression.

"Just me, Hannah and a couple more of the girls; it's like public knowledge that you freaked when you guys tried" she explained.

"Maddy I told you that in secret" Kate hissed. "And I didn't freak, we didn't even try. You know that! He tried to force me Maddy" she explained, Johanna's eyes shutting as she caught up with the conversation.

"So what's Rick like in bed, not that you have anyone to compare him with" Madison smiled as Kate felt the tears run down her cheeks. Putting the phone down before she answered, Kate sobbed as her mother quickly wrapped her arms around her and held her tight.

"It's okay" Johanna whispered.

"Everything's falling apart mommy" she sobbed against her mother as Johanna shook her head, not knowing how to comfort her. "Maddy told everyone mom about him trying to force me and she made it look like I was the one who freaked out; she's supposed to be my best friend and she told them everything about it" she explained, Johanna nodding as she continued to hold her close. "The papers said that I destroyed Rick's relationship with Meredith" she explained, the older woman remembering that part of the article in horror. "He doesn't have a relationship with her! He hates her".

"I know Katie, it's just they're trying to sell papers so they tell lies sometimes to make life sound more interesting that it really is" she explained lightly as Kate continued to sob. "It will go away soon, someone else will do something and everyone will forget what they're writing about you and Rick" she whispered into her daughter's hair.

"I'm tired" the brunette mumbled, Johanna nodding as she moved to allow her daughter to lie down. "I love you mommy" she whispered.

"I know Katie, I love you too" Johanna explained before creeping out of the room.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Opening the door to the apartment, Johanna Beckett sighed as she stared at the writer who was standing outside in the corridor; staring down at the floor ashamed. She'd called the writer after Jim had gone to bed and neither of them had been able to get Kate to respond to any of their questions. Silently moving, the brunette watched as Rick slowly crept into the room and she pushed the door shut; trying not to wake her husband or disturb her daughter.

"I didn't know about the papers Mrs Beckett and I haven't talked to any reporters about her, I promise" he began; the brunette nodding slowly as she looked in the direction of her daughter's bedroom. "I love Kate, she means the world to me and I wouldn't want to destroy our relationship. I've never been this happy with someone as I have been in the past few months that I've spent with your daughter" he admitted.

"Down the corridor, she's the last door on the left" she explained, Rick smiling as he nodded. "She's very upset Rick and when that happens Kate locks herself away; she builds up a wall and hides behind it" Johanna advised as Rick listened to everything she said. "Jim would be furious if he knew I was letting you into the apartment after this" Johanna explained as Rick thanked her before following her directions down the corridor. Stopping outside the door, the writer sighed before he gently knocked on the wood and heard the small sobs from inside.

"Can I just have a moment alone please?" she moaned from inside the room; the writer slowly opening the door to see her lying across her bed in the darkness, her arms wrapped tightly around the bear in her arms. "I said leave me alone" she screamed, turning around before falling silent; the light from the corridor filling the room as she sat up and noticed the figure in front of her.

"Hey Katie" he whispered, her head shaking before she turned to face away from him.


	22. Chapter 22

**This chapter also feels like an emotional rollercoaster! Rick and Kate seem to be all over the place in this story so I hope you enjoy it; although I don't know where half the ideas come from. Thank you for the amazing response to the last couple of chapters and I'm glad you're all happy that I didn't kill Johanna! **

"What are you doing here?" Kate asked as she continued to look in the opposite direction; feeling his hand rest her back, she shut her eyes at the feeling of him being close to her again. "I don't want to talk to you right now Rick, I need some time to myself" she lied, feeling him lie down beside her before his arm wrapped around her body. "You're just going to ignore me aren't you?" she sighed; the writer nodding quickly before he leant forward and pressed a kiss to the back of her head.

"We'll be out of the spotlight before you know it Katie, I promise" the writer explained as she groaned and turned around again to bury her head into his chest. "And then we can go back to normal".

"Normal" she hissed at him before sitting up. "Everyone thinks that I destroyed your relationship with your ex-wife Rick. Madison, my best friend, told everyone that I freaked when my last boyfriend wanted to have sex even though he tried to force me" she explained before she stood up. "People think I'm with you for your money or for sex; no one is going to take us seriously anymore Rick. No one is going to take me seriously anymore" she screamed as he bit shut his eyes for a brief moment.

"I'm trying here Kate" he said back, trying to remain calm as he continued to watch her. "I'm trying to be the person you need but you're not letting me in".

"Well, I'm sorry but it's not every day you date a guy and suddenly you're on the front of the major gossip papers in New York and everyone is calling to take the piss out of you" she hissed, Rick sighing as he slowly stood up. Walking towards her, he watched as Kate walked backwards and her back quickly hit the door; a small groan leaving her lips as he stood as close as possible to her without touching her. "I don't like people knowing about our lives Rick" she admitted as he nodded slowly and stared at her. "Everything was so perfect".

"It still can be" he whispered, running one hand to her cheek as she shut her eyes. "Don't let this destroy us Kate because it's not worth it and that's partially what they want" he explained, pressing a kiss to her forehead gently as she groaned. "They want to see us fall apart so they can create more rumours about how we failed and then they'll say I'm going back to Meredith" he sighed as Kate remembered something Madison had said during their phone call. Opening her eyes, Kate looked at him before biting into her lip. "What is it?" he asked.

"How many have you been with?" she blurted out, shock covering his face as he took in her question. "I need you to be honest with me Rick, have you been with as many women as they say you have?" she asked; tears running down her cheeks as the writer moved away from her and approached the window on the other side of the room.

"I'm older than you, there's going to be more women" he explained as Kate nodded and walked over to him.

"They say you've had one night stands Rick, lots of them. Is that true?" she asked as he shook his head, not turning to look at her as he thought about everything. "I need to know. Do you just sleep with women and leave?" she admitted, her voice sounding weak as she stood behind him. "Am I one of them? When I'm one hundred per cent ready are you going to sleep with me and then just leave because you've got what you wanted?" she asked as he shook his head and turned to look at her; surprising her with the fact that there were tears in his eyes. "Just tell me, do you just use women for sex?" she begged.

"When I got divorced, things were bad for me. I did a lot of things I regret" he admitted as he turned to look back out of the window at a raining New York. "I drunk a lot and did stupid things and sometimes, if I met a woman who wanted me then yes, I would sleep with them Kate but I wasn't the man you know then" he sighed, shutting his eyes as she stepped slightly closer. "I'm not that man anymore I promise. That man was lost and he didn't have anything but mess all around him but I'm not lost" he smiled as she listened silently. "I don't have mess surrounding me. I have a beautiful daughter and a mother who in her strange way supports me and I have you. I hope I still have you Kate" he explained, her hand running to his shoulder as she bit into her lip. "Is there anything else you want to know?" he asked, her head shaking as she moved closer and wrapped her arms around him; a small sigh leaving both their lips as they observed the depressing view.

"Who's with Alexis?" she asked after a few moments of silence.

"My mother" he admitted, Kate nodding slowly as she brought her body closer to his. "I'm so sorry about the papers Katie, I was furious when I found out" he whispered as she shrugged and stared up at him.

"I don't care anymore; they'll die down soon" she smiled, attempting to move on from what had happened. She couldn't lose him. She loved him! Her friends had already betrayed her but she didn't care when he was around. He made her feel safe and loved. "Anyway, you're not that famous yet so we can't be that popular" she added, a laugh leaving his lips as she smirked.

"I love you Kate, you know that right" he explained as she nodded and leant up to press a kiss to his cheek.

"I love you too" she replied, taking in the small smile that covered his face when she said the words. "Stay tonight?" she whispered before he nodded slowly and kissed her; her arms wrapping around him as he kept her close. Taking hold of his hand a few moments later, Kate sighed as she began to lead him towards her bed; silence filling the room as she slipped onto it and felt him sit beside her a few moments later. "We didn't last to the weekend" she blurted out as she cuddled up beside him.

"I think we have a decent excuse though" he shrugged as she nodded and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I'm really sorry about Madison, I know what she said hurt you".

"She was my best friend and then all of a sudden, she's telling everyone my secrets and changing them to make me sound frigid" she admitted, Rick's arms tightening around her as he shook his head.

"Just because you want to wait for someone special doesn't make you frigid" he explained as Kate remained silent. "Kate, you're not, you're normal meanwhile I can't say the same for Madison because she seems to come across as a bit of a, well I don't want to speak badly of your friends" he smiled as Kate laughed and nodded slowly. "I love that about you" he whispered as she stared up at him.

"What? The fact that no other man has touched me?" she asked as he smiled and nodded.

"I just like the fact that you're not doing things because your friends are doing it. That's the sort of woman I want around my daughter" he explained as Kate smiled, remembering the small redhead who she was already so attached to. "I'm glad you're not like Madison" he admitted, Kate smiling as she cuddled up against him.

"My last boyfriend thought I was just like Madison" she admitted, Rick groaning as he realised how much this last boyfriend had affected her. "Maddy turned him down for another guy who was actually his best friend and so he asked me out so I said yes! I didn't know he'd asked Maddy out until after the relationship ended" she admitted, laughing at how stupid she'd been! "He was really nice originally but then he found out that Maddy and her boyfriend were already doing it and he invited me around his and well, you can guess what happened from there" she sighed.

"I'm sorry you went through that" Rick whispered, Kate shrugging as she rested her head against his chest. "You were okay though?" he asked, the brunette smiling at the sound of his concern.

"I ran home and mom had just got home. She looked after me and she was livid that he'd tried to force me" she explained, remembering her mother's shocked expression when she'd arrived home. "She'd met him and thought he was the nicest guy I could be with. He was polite and was interested in everything my parents said" she sighed. "I should have seen something wrong there because he was on the bad guys at school and there was no way he was interested in being a lawyer".

"He didn't hurt you though" he whispered, running his fingers up and down her back.

"Nothing that chocolate ice cream, a film night with my mom and some pain meds couldn't handle" she brushed off. "He'd grabbed my wrists pretty tight so they were bruised but that was it" she explained, the writer groaning at the idea of Kate being in pain. "It was a while ago now Rick and I have you, you'll never do that to me" she smiled as he nodded, staring up at the ceiling as he thought about everything.

"I'll never do anything to hurt you" he explained as she relaxed against him. Lying there as the room fell silent, Rick smiled as he looked down to see Kate fast asleep against him; his eyes rolling before he relaxed back and kept his arms around her. He wasn't going to let anything destroy them; she was too special for that.

XOOXOXOXOXOXO

"Katherine Beckett explain now" a voice shouted as Kate groaned and opened her eyes to find her father staring at her from the doorway; her eyes moving to see Rick lying beside her, obviously trying to fake that he was asleep. "What the hell is he doing here? Especially in your bed?" the older man practically barked as Kate stood up.

"Jim I invited him; they needed to talk" a voice said behind the older man, Kate's father turning to see Johanna standing there with a small smile covering her face as she watched her daughter climb off the bed.

"We didn't do anything daddy I promise" Kate explained. "See still fully dressed, he's dressed. Nothing happened" she smiled, Jim's eyes rolling as he watched his wife enter the room and look at him; her arms crossing across her chest.

"Women, you're always against me" he sighed, both of them laughing as he left the room.

"If I open my eyes, I'm not going to be shot am I?" Rick asked as Kate laughed and took hold of his hand; his eyes quickly opening to look at hers, his smile growing at the sight of her. "Good morning beautiful" he whispered.

"Good morning" she giggled before he sat up and looked across at Johanna Beckett.

"You two better not have done anything more than sleep and talk last night; your father is going to be complaining about this all day" Johanna warned as both Kate and Rick quickly shook their heads.

"No offense mom but if I was going to do that with Rick, I wouldn't do it in the room next door to you and dad" Kate explained as her mother laughed and nodded, leaving the room quickly before Rick's arms wrapped around her. "Hello" she whispered when his lips began to press against her neck. "Do you have to get back to Alexis soon?" she asked; his head shaking before he tightened his arms around her.

"I'm all yours today. Mother is dropping Alexis at school this morning on her way to a rehearsal and she said she'd pick her up this afternoon. She didn't know how long it would take for you to forgive me" he admitted as Kate smiled and rested back against him. "Your parents working today?" he asked.

"Yes" she whispered. "I don't want to leave the apartment today" she admitted.

"I understand. I was like that the first time I appeared in the papers" he mumbled, understanding her need to stay away from people until the news died down. Hearing a knock at the door, Kate quickly moved out of his arms before her father opened the door and appeared; still looking unimpressed at the sight of his daughter and the older writer sat together on the same bed.

"Your mother and I are going to work. We'll see you tonight" he explained as Kate nodded and stood up, approaching him quickly before pressing a kiss to his cheek; the older man rolling his eyes. "Remember you have work to do today Kate" he said before he left the room; the brunette nodding before she turned to see Rick sat on her bed. Hearing the front door open and close, Kate smiled before she walked over to the writer and kissed him quickly; her body straddling his as he groaned.

"Kate" he whispered.

"Do you think making out like teenagers counts if one of the couple is still a teenager?" she asked, the writer nodding before he kissed her again; enjoying the feeling of her being close to him again.

XOXOOXXOXOO

"Stop watching me work" she hissed as she sat at the table; her work covering the desk as the writer sat beside her and continued to stare. She was still dressed in her pyjamas, her dark hair thrown back in a messy plait while her face remained blank of make-up and he was beginning to fall seriously in love with this look. "If you keep staring, I'll kick you out" she warned, the writer groaning before he looked down at her work; her scribbled handwriting making him smile before he looked up to see her staring at him.

"Now who's watching someone? Hypocrite" he laughed, Kate's eyes rolling before she giggled lightly and leant across to kiss him. "We should do this more often" he admitted, Kate nodding as she returned to relax in her seat and quickly returned to her work. "You're so beautiful" he admitted as she giggled and heard a knock at the door. "Pizza" he laughed, standing quickly as Kate rolled her eyes. Opening the door, Rick groaned as cameras started to flash; his hand immediately pushing it shut.

"Rick? Did you pay?" she asked, walking over to him to find the writer staring at the door in shock. "What's going on?" she whispered; her hand moving towards the door quickly before he walked over and grabbed her wrist.

"They know where you live" he admitted, Kate groaning as she turned away. "Don't shut me out again; tell me".

"How the hell did they find out where I live?" she asked before she looked across at the phone. "How could she?"

"Kate?" he asked.

"Madison! She's the only person I know who would do this Rick! I know she hates the fact that I'm in a serious relationship and following her around every moment of the day like I used to. She just wants all the attention to be on her" Kate shrieked before grabbing the phone, the writer taking hold of her hand and watching as she quickly dropped it.

"You don't know if it was her Katie, so don't do something you'll regret until you have the evidence to prove it" he whispered, wrapping his arms around her quickly before he pressed a kiss to her forehead and felt her relax against him.

"Why can't they just leave us alone?" she asked.

"Because we're interesting and a controversial issue" he sighed, holding her close as she just remained silent against him; his arms keeping her as close as possible. "You just have to show them that you're not afraid of them and you don't care what they think about us" he explained as she stared up at him. "And when you're alone, you're allowed to do whatever you feel is necessary to get over the fact that everyone is talking about your life".

"Great advice" she muttered sarcastically before kissing him gently. "I guess we won't be getting pizza" she admitted, the writer nodding slowly before he moved away and began to play some music; Kate smiling at the song that began to play. Pulling her into his arms, Rick laughed as they slowly began to dance along to the song.

"I'm destroying your life Katie; I'm making your whole life a drama that you don't need" he explained as Kate shut her eyes and shook her head. This was what she wanted; the safety and warmth she felt in Rick's arms when he held her.

"You're not destroying anything; you make me happy even with this shit going on everywhere" the young woman responded before she kissed him and felt him clutch her t-shirt tighter in his hands as they slowly moved away from each other. "I love you" she whispered, kissing him lightly before he lifted her into his arms and spun around for a moment; the brunette squealing in response as they both fell silent; their eyes locking. "I'm glad mom called you last night".

"So am I" he sighed, kissing her lightly before he let her stand again.

**So what do you think? It's not my favourite chapter!**


	23. Chapter 23

Running her hands through her hair, Kate sighed as she continued to stare down at her work. It was the first time that week that she'd left her house and she'd not been surprised to find that Rick had been right that the papers would practically disappear except for the odd few who were waiting outside her building. Now she was sat in the nearby library working and waiting for the time she and Rick had agreed to meet up and pick Alexis up from school.

"Kate" a voice said behind her, a groan leaving her lips as she realised who was standing behind her. "Can we talk please?" Madison asked as she sat herself down beside the brunette and watched as Kate continued to look at her work. "So you're going to ignore me? Grown up Kate, really grown up, I thought you were the mature one here" the blonde announced, Kate's book slamming as she stared at the woman next to her.

"Why should I talk to you after what you said about me?" Kate asked; her voice calm as she said it.

"Because I'm your friend, your best friend actually" Madison declared as Kate began to throw her work into the bag; staring up at the clock to see that Rick would be arriving outside soon. "Kate we've known each other since we were little, you can't just hate me because of one conversation we had" she explained, standing at the same moment that the brunette did.

"Madison, best friends don't tell everyone lies about each other" she muttered simply before she flung her bag over her shoulder before she approached the lift.

"I'm just worried about you Kate. He's a single father and he's older than you with a history of sleeping around with women. I just wanted you to realise that but I wasn't the one who talked to the papers, I wouldn't do that" Madison explained as she followed Kate into the small metal box. Sighing as the door closed, Kate turned to look at the woman who was standing beside her. "Kate he's not going to change just because he's dating you; one day someone else will catch his eye and you'll be history" she announced.

"No he won't Madison, you don't know the real Rick. You don't know my Rick" Kate declared, glaring across at the woman beside her. "He loves me and I know that you hate that" she smiled.

"Why would I hate that? You're my best friend Becks" Madison asked quickly.

"Because I'm no longer following you around, I'm no longer hiding in the shadows behind you alone while you're with all the guys in college" she explained, remembering all the time she'd just watch the woman who was staring at her. "And also because the first guy that I'm a proper relationship with loves me and sees me as special while all your boyfriends just see you as easy" she admitted, shock covering Madison's face at her comments. "Rick loves me and you hate that. You hate that someone finally saw me instead of you even when we were together when I first met him" the brunette smiled before the doors open and she walked out and saw Rick standing outside the door of the library.

"Don't you think that he tells everyone the exact same thing before he sleeps with them and leaves?" Madison called across at Kate walked towards the writer who'd just entered the building. Wrapping her arms around his neck quickly, Kate sighed as she rested her head into his shoulder.

"You okay?" he asked quickly, pressing a kiss into her dark hair before she looked up at him and gently moved to kiss him; his hands running to rest on the small of her back as she sighed. "So, I thought after we pick Alexis up I'd take you both to the nearest diner and treat you to burgers and milkshakes" he explained, Kate nodding before his arm wrapped slowly around her waist as they walked out of the building together; neither of them turning to see Maddy watching them still in silence. "I also have something I need to tell you" he added as he led her towards the car.

"What is it?" she asked, clinging onto his hand as she remained close to him.

"I'll tell you when we get to the diner, I want to tell Alexis at the same time as well. It's major news" he laughed, opening the door for her as she rolled her eyes and slipped into the vehicle in excitement; the writer quickly joining her before he began to drive away from the library.

XOXOOXOXOXOX

"Katie" Alexis squealed as she ran away from her friends and hugged the brunette. Keeping her arms tightly around the brunette, Alexis smiled as Kate looked across at the writer and saw him beaming at them both; her eyes rolling before she looked back down at the redhead. "You're here Katie, you're really here" the small girl laughed as she moved away and went to hug her father.

"Of course I'm here Lex. I promised you yesterday that I'd be here and we're going to go to the diner as your father has something important to tell us" Kate explained before she took Alexis' hand and they began to lead her towards the parked car. "How was school?" she asked, helping Alexis into the back of the car as Rick continued to watch; enjoying the interaction between his girlfriend and daughter.

"It was really fun" she explained as Kate nodded. "I read loads of books today with my teacher" she admitted as the brunette nodded. Shutting the door, Kate quickly looked across to see the writer watching her; a small smile covering her face before she stuck her tongue out at him and sat inside the car with him. Remaining silent as they drove down the road, Kate continued to stare at the writer as he concentrated on the road.

"I thought we discussed this staring business Miss Beckett" he smiled as she laughed gently and relaxed back; her eyes remaining on him.

"We discussed you staring at me, we never discussed it the other way around" she smirked before they laughed and found themselves parking already. Climbing out of the vehicle, Kate laughed as Alexis jumped out and quickly grabbed hold of her hand; Rick's arm wrapping around her waist as they slowly approached the door together. Entering the small diner, Kate smiled as Alexis ran over to an empty booth and watched as the older couple walked over to join her. Sitting down beside each other, Kate quickly held onto his hand as they stared down at the menu.

"Milkshake" Alexis giggled as Kate nodded and looked across at the writer.

"Milkshake" Kate nodded in agreement before kissing him; Alexis groaning at the sight of it before they both laughed. Watching as the waitress walked over to her quickly, the writer sighed as he quickly recited their orders before the petit blonde nodded and disappeared to get their drinks; Kate moving to rest against his body. "So what's the news you have to tell us?" she asked.

"Yes daddy, what is it?" Alexis asked as the three chocolate milkshakes were brought over to them; everyone thanking the waitress before she walked away again. "Tell us" the redhead squealed in amusement. "Are you having a baby?" she asked, Kate choking on the milkshake she'd just taken a sip of before the redhead had commented on.

"No Lex, we're not having a baby" Rick admitted as embarrassment covered Kate's face; the writer smiling across at her.

"Oh! So what is it?" the redhead asked quickly.

"I got a phone call today" he admitted, both of them nodding before he relaxed and took a sip of the drink. "Seeing that the new book is so popular and becoming a best seller" he admitted as Kate nodded slowly and leant forward to have sip of her drink as she relaxed. "I've been asked to do a book signing tour for a couple of weeks" he explained, shock covering Kate's face as Alexis clapped quickly.

"When?" Kate asked quickly, shocked by the fact that she wouldn't be able to see him for two whole weeks.

"The end of next month for two weeks" he admitted, squeezing her hand gently under the table before he smiled at her.

"That's great" Kate whispered before leaning across to press a kiss to his cheek. "Congratulations, I knew it would be a best seller the first time I read it" she explained as Alexis nodded and clapped her hands again as they both laughed. Smiling when there burgers were brought ever, they all fell silent as they began to eat; Rick's eyes looking across at her occasionally to see the confusion that was covering her face every couple of moments like she was going through her thoughts.

"Talk to me Kate" he whispered, leaning across to press a kiss to her cheek gently as Alexis remained focused on her burger. "You seem lost".

"Who's going with you?" she asked, looking across at him as he noticed her insecurity.

"Just Gina" he explained as Kate nodded slowly. "She's my book editor Katie, there's nothing there. I promise" he smiled, kissing her quickly before he hugged her. "You need to stop worrying about these things; you have to trust me".

"I do trust you" she admitted, squeezing his hands as she shut her eyes. "I just don't trust anyone else" she explained, feeling his lips press a kiss to her cheek before she opened her eyes and looked at him. "You'll call me won't you?" she asked, staring down at their joined hands before staring up at him.

"Of course I will" he admitted, pressing his lips to her forehead gently before she nodded. "You're getting clingy Miss Beckett" he laughed; her head shaking as she took in what he said.

"I'm not clingy, I'm just worried" she explained, her smile growing as he shrugged and looked across at his daughter whose face was covered in the red sauce; Kate looking across at her too before they both laughed.

"I'm a vampire" the redhead squealed as Kate quickly shook her head in amusement.

"She's so your daughter Rick, there's no denying that" she admitted, Rick nodding as he just smiled at his daughter and leant across to steal some of Kate's fries. "Hey! Eat your own" she exclaimed, hitting his arm gently before he stole some more. "Rick" she moaned.

"Your food always tastes better" he explained, her eyes rolling before she reached across and stole some of his fries; Alexis just laughing at the look that covered Rick's face at the brunette's actions. "This is war Miss Beckett, this is war" he commented, shaking his head in amusement before she laughed.

"Bring it on Mr Castle" she giggled, her voice full of determination.

**Thank you for the amazing response to the previous chapter! Every comment makes my day and I adore hearing all your opinions about each chapter! I know this chapter is a lot shorter than the previous one but the next chapter will be longer so please review and I will get the next chapter up as soon as you want it! **


	24. Chapter 24

**People wanted the next chapter today; I give you the next chapter today! **

"I still hate the fact you can't come with me Kate" he moaned as he stood in the airport with her, his hand clutching onto hers as she smiled up at him and sighed. "I could find you a ticket from somewhere if you wanted to come. The two of us exploring all these amazing new places together, it would be fantastic" he explained; her head shaking as she ran her free hand to his cheek.

"I have college Rick, you know that so stop trying to bribe me with these amazing things you know I want to do" she admitted, a groan leaving his lips as she laughed gently. "But I'll call you every night and you can call me whenever you're free. You can tell me all about the beautiful women who are flinging themselves at you and you've had to turn down because of me" she explained as his lips brushed against her forehead. "I'll miss you though" she finally mumbled.

"I'll miss you too Katie" he explained, bringing his arms to wrap around her as she flung her arms around his neck. "I hate the fact that I have to go away without you; it won't be the same without you there by my side" he admitted, her eyes rolling before he leant forward and kissed her. "I'll be here all alone and you'll be here with your family and my family" he muttered before she kissed him again.

"You love it really" she muttered. "You get to meet all your fans and I know you're excited about that. This is the first time you get to properly meet them and I know you can't wait to have everyone say that you're their favourite author" she admitted, the writer shrugging as they both laughed and heard footsteps approaching them. Turning around, Kate stared in shock at the blonde who was looking at her. She was a tall woman; skinny in a pair of tight jeans that highlighted her perfectly toned legs and a low cut t-shirt that barely covered her breasts and Kate couldn't help but immediately dislike the woman!

"Kate I want you to meet someone" Rick smiled. "Kate this is Gina. Gina this is my girlfriend Kate" he explained as Gina forced a smile on her face as she stared at the younger woman.

"I know Rick! I read about you both in the paper" she announced simply, her tone annoying Kate as Rick sighed and looked down at the woman beside him. "I'm going to go and check in; say goodbye Richard and hurry up" she ordered before she disappeared; Rick groaning as Kate stared up at him, worry covering her face.

"Hey! What's wrong?" he asked, running his hands to her cheek.

"You could have told me that Gina looks like that" she declared, Rick laughing as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Rick, I really don't like the idea of you being alone with her for two whole weeks. She's beautiful and she's clever and she's closer to your age than I am" she admitted, the writer's head shaking as he cupped her cheeks and kissed her again.

"I promise Kate, Gina is nothing but a work colleague. I'm not interested in her at all because I think you've forgotten again that I'm madly in love with my girlfriend" he explained, Kate smiling as he looked at her. "Stop worrying about this okay? I promise that every time I'm in my hotel room, I will be alone on the phone to you and that will be every night of the two weeks I'm away from you" he explained as she nodded slowly and kissed him.

"Daddy you need to go" Alexis screamed as she ran over and wrapped her arms around his legs while Martha slowly walked forward after taking her granddaughter to get a drink. Lifting Alexis into his arms, the writer sighed as she quickly pressed a kiss to his cheek and stared at him. "I'll miss you daddy, I love you".

"I love you too pumpkin" he stated as she smiled. "You'll be a good girl from grams won't you?" he smiled as Alexis nodded. "And you'll make sure grams doesn't do anything too naughty?" he added, Alexis giggling as Kate rolled her eyes and Martha crossed her arms.

"Richard" the older redhead warned as he put his daughter back down. "Have a good time darling, we'll want to hear all about it when you get home" she explained as Alexis nodded and remained in between her grandmother and the brunette who was remaining silent.

"If anything goes wrong or Alexis gets sick call me and then call Kate. She knows what to do with Alexis when she gets difficult or upset" he explained as the older redhead rolled her eyes and nodded.

"You forget I raised you Richard" Martha commented.

"I never forget that mother, that's why I made sure all the hotel numbers and Kate's number are stuck on the fridge, on the glasses cabinet, on your mirror and on the drinks cabinet" he explained, Kate smiling as Martha shook her head and quickly kissed her sons cheek. "I better go, otherwise Gina will come looking for me and I don't want her to start shouting" he admitted.

"Bye daddy" Alexis whispered before she hugged him again; the writer hating the fact that he couldn't take his little girl with him. The trip overran with school and Alexis adored it and would find book signings boring so he'd decided to leave her in the care of his mother so she could go to school.

"Bye sweetheart" he muttered before looking at his mother. "Bye mother, remember to behave" he smiled before he moved toward the silent brunette; his hand running to her cheek slowly. "I promise, nothing will happen while I'm gone" he whispered, her head nodding before he kissed her passionately; her hands running through his hair as he brought her close to his body. Clearing her throat, Martha laughed as the couple pulled away from each other and looked to see Alexis covering her eyes with her hands. "I love you Kate Beckett" he smiled.

"I love you too Richard Castle; now go or I'll never let you" she admitted, kissing him again before he grabbed his jacket from the seats and smiled; moving towards the check in as Kate attempted to relax. Lifting Alexis into her arms, Kate sighed as Rick turned around to look at them before he disappeared from sight; the three women waving at him as he laughed and waved back before moving again.

"It's only two weeks darling and he'll call the moment he lands" Martha admitted as she looked across at the brunette who was still staring forward at the empty space. "Come on, why don't we go and get something to eat before we head home?" the redhead suggested as Alexis nodded and took hold of Kate's hand; leading her forwards as the teenager smiled weakly at her.

XOXOOXOXOOXXOXO

"Are you going to smile at all today Kate? I've never seen you look so miserable in your life" Jim asked as he entered the living room to find his daughter curled up on the couch; Johanna sat beside her. "It's only two weeks, he'll be back before you know it" he sighed, sitting on the free couch as Johanna glared across at him. "What?" he asked.

"It's not just two weeks though dad" Kate declared. "It's two weeks with all these fans who will most likely be beautiful women and then there's Gina who will be there the whole time" Kate admitted, her worry obvious as Johanna smiled and wrapped an arm around her daughter. "And Gina's this leggy blonde who hates me and obviously likes Rick although he's completely oblivious to the fact and she's beautiful and closer to his age and she understands his world more than I ever will".

"But she isn't the one he's in love with is she?" Johanna sighed as Kate slowly shook her head. "Rick says he's not interested in this Gina then you have to believe him Kate" the older brunette explained as Kate sighed. "You can't have a decent relationship if you don't trust each other" she admitted.

"I do trust him, I just don't trust women around him" she explained as her parents laughed at her. "I'm being really stupid aren't I?" she admitted as her mother smiled and shook her head.

"You're in love Kate and he's miles away with another woman; you have every right to be a little bit stupid" Johanna laughed as Kate smiled and heard the phone ring; the brunette jumping up quicker than her parents had ever seen before she ran over to it.

"Hello" she practically barked down the phone as her father rolled his eyes at her.

"Kate? It's Martha" a female voice replied as Kate calmed down. "Alexis won't go to bed and well I was wondering whether you could come and help. I've tried everything but nothing's working and she keeps asking for Rick and she won't say anything else and Rick's still on the plane and you seem to be a miracle worker when it comes to Alexis" the older redhead explained as Kate smiled weakly and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Sure Martha, I'll be there in ten minutes" she explained before saying goodbye and turning to look at her parents. "Any chance you can give me a lift to Rick's?" she asked, Johanna nodding as she stood up and approached her daughter.

"Is everything okay?" the older brunette asked as Kate nodded.

"Alexis is homesick and Martha can't get her to go to bed. She thinks I'm a miracle worker" she laughed as Johanna nodded and walked out of the apartment with her daughter.

XOXOOXOXOXO

Entering Rick's apartment, Kate smiled at the older redhead who looked exhausted and extremely grateful at her arrival.

"Alexis is in Rick's room watching movies; I didn't know what else to do. I honestly tried everything" Martha explained as Kate nodded and began to walk towards the room. Slipping into Rick's bedroom, Kate sighed at the sight of the redhead lying in the middle of his bed with a Disney movie playing on the television; Kate smiling at the familiar scene.

"So trouble, your grams told me you won't go to bed" Kate admitted as she kicked her shoes off and sat beside the redhead who immediately curled up beside her. "Want to tell me what's wrong?" she asked as Alexis quickly shook her head and buried herself underneath the blanket; Kate laughing gently as she looked at the bump and sighed. "Lex this is really silly you know that right?" Kate sighed as the redhead remained silent. "I'll be back in a minute" the brunette explained before she stood up and left the room again to find Martha in the living room.

"Is everything alright?" the redhead asked as Kate shrugged.

"Can you call my parents and tell them I'm staying here tonight?" she asked as the redhead nodded and watched Kate disappear back into the bedroom. Closing the door, Kate sighed as she watched the bump in the middle of the bed where Alexis was hiding before shaking her head and going to Rick's drawer to pull out one of his t-shirts and a pair of sweats. "You and me will be talking in a minute Alexis" she declared before she entered the en-suite and changed. Slipping out a few moments later, Kate smiled as she walked towards the bed and slid under the covers; the blanket covering her whole body as she moved closer to Alexis. "Are you going to talk to me?" she asked.

"No" Alexis declared.

"See you just talked to me Alexis" Kate smiled as the redhead shook her head. "Yes you did, you just said no to me and that counts as talking" she laughed as Alexis groaned. Moving closer, Kate sighed as she found herself staring at Alexis in confusion. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" she asked, Alexis' head shaking before she sighed. "I promise, if you want it to be it can be our secret".

"Promise?" Alexis asked quickly as Kate nodded and held her hand out.

"I promise" she smiled as Alexis stared at her hand in confusion. "Wrap your little finger around mine" she explained as the redhead followed her instruction. "If you do that before or after saying a promise it means you can't break it" she smiled as Alexis stared at their fingers. "So are you going to tell me what's wrong now?"

"I miss daddy" she admitted, her voice sounding like she was about to cry as Kate wrapped her arms around the small girl. "I want daddy" she sobbed against Kate as the brunette ran her hand up and down the redhead's back; sort of relieved that this was the issue more than anything else.

"Why didn't you say anything sooner Lex?" she asked.

"Because daddy said I had to be strong when he was gone" she admitted, Kate sighing as she shut her eyes for a moment and kept Alexis close to her as she continued to cry.

"It's okay to miss him Lex, he's your dad" she explained. "My parents went away on holiday one for a week and my grandparents had to look after me. I missed them so much I would cry every night and I didn't tell anyone so I didn't have anyone to talk to about it" she admitted as Alexis stared up at her. "And I felt so lonely because I didn't have anyone to help me understand that what I was feeling was okay" she admitted, Alexis nodding as she relaxed. "Daddy's never gone away before has he?" she asked as Alexis shook her head.

"He's always here when I go to bed. He tucks me in and tells me a story; he does every night" she explained as Kate nodded and pressed a kiss into her red hair. "When will he come home Katie?" she asked as the brunette smiled and looked at her.

"In fourteen days Lex and I know it sounds like a long time but I promise we'll do loads of fun things so you don't think about it" she explained as the redhead stared at her. "And what about if every night I come around and tuck you in and then we can call your daddy and see if he'll tell us a story?" she suggested as Alexis nodded, her smile growing as Kate relaxed. Hearing the phone ring, Kate smiled as she sat up and reached across for the screaming object on the beside table; the brunette watching as Alexis sat up as well. "Hello" Kate smiled down the line.

"Kate what are you doing at my apartment? Is everything okay?" he asked, Kate smiling as Alexis moved closer.

"Everything's fine I promise, your mom called me over because of Alexis" she admitted, watching as the redhead rested against her.

"Is she okay? She isn't sick or anything? Do you want me to come home?" he asked; his voice full of panic as Kate smiled.

"Everything's fine, I promise. She just needed to talk to someone who wasn't family" she admitted, concern covering Rick's face as he listened to her.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I promised I wouldn't tell but I swear, she's fine" she explained, Rick relaxing at her comment. "How was the flight?" she asked, attempting to change the conversation.

"Loud" he admitted. "Busy and Gina knocked a whole glass of wine down her shirt and then decided to remove her shirt in front of everyone" he explained as Kate felt the frustration appear on her face. Why wasn't she surprised? "We just landed so I thought I should call before it got to late but I thought Alexis would already be asleep when I realised the time" he admitted.

"We're going to sleep in a minute" she explained.

"We? Are you staying over tonight?" he asked.

"Just for tonight so I can be here for Lex" she admitted. "We're sleeping in your bed watching Disney movies and I'm currently dressed in your sweats and one of your t-shirts. You're missing out on a lot of fun" she explained as he groaned.

"That is so hot; well not the fact you're with my daughter watching movies but the fact you're in my clothes" he admitted as she laughed and rolled her eyes. "This is going to sound horrible and like I don't want to talk to you but can you put Alexis on the line? It's late both here and in New York and I want to go to sleep but I want to say goodnight to her first" he explained as Kate smiled.

"That doesn't sound horrible, I'll put her on in a minute" she admitted before sighing. "I love you Rick, you know that right?"

"I know Kate, I love you too" he explained. "Sleep well at mine okay" he declared as she nodded.

"Of course, you sleep well in your amazing hotel" she laughed as he smiled. "I'll put Alexis on now" she declared before passing the phone to the redhead and relaxing back.

"Hello?" Alexis asked, confusion covering her face as Kate smiled. "Daddy I miss you so much" Alexis immediately announced as the brunette laughed. "I am going to sleep in a minute, I promise" she declared. "Katie's staying with me" she smiled, looking across at the brunette who nodded. "Daddy, I love you" she admitted as Kate lay down on the bed beside the redhead. "Night night daddy, I love you" she smiled before she passed the phone to Kate who put it back in place.

"Feel better now?" Kate asked as Alexis nodded and sighed. "Right, sleeping Miss Castle, you've been up too long already and you have school in the morning" she explained as Alexis nodded and relaxed on the other side of the bed.

"Night Katie, I love you" the redhead smiled.

"I love you too Lex" Kate admitted, her eyes remaining open as she watched the child fall asleep beside her in a brief matter of moments. "I love you silly girl" she muttered as she began to also fall asleep.

**People wanted a lot of Alexis/Kate scenes so here is the first of many. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review; it really does make me happy and makes me write faster! It's a fact. Also the response to the last chapter was fantastic so thank you for being amazing readers! **


	25. Chapter 25

**Wow! You guys are honestly amazing at reviewing to this story. I can't believe how amazing all your responses have been. This chapter is set later in the week so Rick has been gone for around four or five days! So hopefully you'll enjoy this and please continue to respond, it really does make my sad life slightly better. **

Signing another book, the writer sighed as he finished his signature and closed the book; smiling up at the older woman who laughed and took it from him before thanking him quickly. Looking down, Rick sighed as he took another book from someone; not bothering to look at the person who'd given it to him.

"Who should I make it too?" he asked.

"To Katherine" a voice admitted, the writer looking up quickly to see the familiar brunette smiling at him; his own smile growing at the sight of her. Signing her book quickly, Rick smiled as he looked across at the people behind her.

"I'm just going to take a break for ten minutes" he declared, everyone nodding as he stood up and led Kate away from the crowd. "You're here, you're actually here Kate" he laughed as she nodded and moved closer; his arms wrapping around her before she kissed him gently. "You're real; I haven't just made you up. I've been making you up all day Kate, hoping you'd come and save me. I'm actually really bored".

"I'm real, I'm here, you haven't made me up Rick" she laughed as he kept her close to him; enjoying the familiarity of her being near him again. "I decided to come and spend a couple of days with you; maybe we could see some of those places together like you said" she giggled as he nodded and pressed a kiss to her lips while she slowly wrapped her arms around him.

"I've missed you" he admitted as she nodded and relaxed in his arms. "I've got another hour to go of signings, what are you doing to do during that? You'll get bored just waiting here" he asked.

"I need to go to the shops anyway but I'll meet you back here in an hour if you want" she explained, the writer nodding before kissing her again; attempting to collect all the kisses he'd missed when he was away.

"Actually why don't you go straight to the hotel? Gina will want to talk after the signing about how the day went" he asked, Kate nodding as he passed her his roomy key and explained the details of where the hotel was. "I don't have anywhere else to be today so I'm all yours for the rest of the day Katie" he admitted as she nodded and quickly stole another kiss.

"Richard hurry up, you've had almost ten minutes to talk" Gina hissed, forcing the couple apart as he groaned.

"I'm really beginning to hate that woman actually, she keeps destroying our moments" he laughed as Kate giggled and nodded. "See you at the hotel Kate" he smiled, holding onto her hand for a brief moment before she moved away from him.

"See you in an hour Rick, remember to smile. These people are your fans and they need to see that you're interested in them and appreciate the fact that they're interested in your novels. However tired you get don't stop smiling" she explained before pressing a kiss to his cheek and leaving the building in silence, the writer watching her until Gina called him again; a small groan leaving his lips in reaction to her comment before he forced a smile on his face. He could do this!

OXOXOXOXOX

Entering the hotel room in silence, the writer sighed as he removed his jacket and threw it onto the table before kicking his shoes off and relaxing. Looking across, Rick smiled at the sight of the brunette who was sat on the bed with his book; her focus completely on it as he approached the bed and quickly sat beside her.

"You sound frustrated Rick, want to talk about it?" she admitted as she shut the book and turned her body to lie on her side and stare at him. Relaxing back, Rick watched as she quickly took his hand and brought it to his lips; pressing a kiss to his knuckles as he shut his eyes. "Come on tell me, I want to help you" she explained as she moved closer to him and felt his arms wrap around her body and hold her close.

"I'm just tired; the tours are longer than I expected actually. There are a lot of books to sign in one day" Rick admitted as she nodded and quickly kissed him. "I'm better now I'm with you Kate, I've missed you so much" he laughed as Kate smiled and wrapped her arms around him; her head resting on her chest as she smiled. "I was thinking of ordering pizza tonight; I can't be bothered to go anywhere but if you want too…" he began.

"Actually I'd really like to stay here with you tonight; I don't really want to be around anyone else but you tonight" she explained, Rick nodding as she quickly straddled him and pressed her lips to his; the writer responding as she smiled against his lips. "I sound so cheesy because of you" she moaned, covering her face with her hands as she attempted to cover her embarrassment.

"I like cheesy Kate, she's very cute" he admitted as she shook her head and stared down at him. Leaning down, she slowly kissed him again as his hands ran up her back. "You're so perfect, I can't believe I found you" he mumbled as she rolled her eyes at him and kissed him again; her eyes shutting as she felt his hands run under the material of her t-shirt and rest against her bare skin. Locking eyes with her, he sighed as he ran his hand to rest on her cheek before he kissed her again. "Tell me to stop if you're not ready" he whispered.

"I'm ready Rick; I'm one hundred per cent certain" she admitted before kissing him again and moving so she was lying underneath him. "I was certain before I even got here, I'm ready for the next step" the dark haired woman explained as Rick began to press a kiss to her neck; a small gasp leaving her lips as she felt the kisses change. "I'm scared Rick" she admitted as he looked down at her and smiled. "You'll look after me won't you?"

"Always" he smiled, kissing her gently as her fingers ran through his dark hair.

**Honestly, I don't know whether I like this chapter but it's not up to me. It's up to you guys who have been amazing in responding with this chapter. If you really don't like it then I'll delete it and come up with something new, if you do like it then it'll stay. Also I apologise for how short this chapter is but I'll update with an even longer one next time, I promise. **


	26. Chapter 26

**I'm honestly shocked by the reviews the last chapter received! It was the most reviewed chapter and I feel honoured that every single one of you took the time to give me a comment; however big or small! I hope you continue to have the same response with this chapter and well, I'll leave you decide whether you like it or not! Also, if you have any suggestions for future chapters then give me a review and I will see whether it'll fit in with the plot. **

Groaning as he moved in the bed, the writer quickly opened his eyes to find the bed empty; his body sitting up quickly as he looked around the room in search for the brunette. Smiling as he noticed the opened balcony doors, the writer sighed as he quickly slipped out of the bed and pulled his boxers and a t-shirt on before walking towards the door. Stepping outside, the writer sighed as he found Kate standing by the balcony in one of the hotel dressing gowns; her arms wrapped across her chest as she remained silent.

"Hey beautiful lady, what are you doing out here Katie?" he asked, walking over to her quickly to wrap his arms around her; her body resting against him as she shut her eyes gently. Pressing a kiss into his hair, he watched as she rested her hands on top of his and smiled. "Are you okay? I didn't hurt you did I?" he asked quickly, worry filling her veins as she shook her head gently.

"I'm okay" she admitted as he held her closer. "I promise I'm fine Rick, I'm more than fine actually. I'm happy being here with you in Miami Richard Castle" the brunette explained as she turned in his arms and held him close to her as she laughed. "Can we go inside now please? I'm starting to get cold" she admitted, the writer nodding as he led her inside the hotel and quickly shut the door behind him. Sitting herself down on the bed, she watched as the writer approached her and quickly sat himself down behind her; his arms wrapping around her as she relaxed against him.

"Are you tired?" he asked, Kate's head shaking as he smiled at her. "Want to order room service? I'm not particularly hungry but we could order ice cream. I really want ice cream actually" he admitted, Kate nodding as she laughed and moved to relax beside him; the brunette laughing as he reached across for the phone and began to recite his order down the line to whoever was listening. "Wait a minute" he smiled, resting the phone between his ear and shoulder before he reached across and covered her ears before he said something else.

"What was that for?" she asked when he finally put the phone down and moved to kiss her; the brunette giggling as she ran her fingers through his hair and rested back on the bed as he moved to kiss her again. "What have you got planned?" the brunette asked as he began to kiss down her neck; his hands slowly moving to the tie of her dressing gown. "Rick stop" she whispered, the writer nodding as he moved his hands away. "Are you going to show me around tomorrow?" the brunette asked as he nodded and heard a knock at the door; the writer moving to answer the door.

"Look what I've got Kate" he smiled as he showed her the ice cream while hiding something behind his back. "Chocolate ice cream" he cheered, Kate laughing as she nodded and watched as he sat down beside her and smiled when he rested the spoon against her nose. "See how long you can keep it balanced on there" he declared, a small groan leaving her lips as she attempted to hold it on before it fell off and hit her bare leg.

"Shit! That spoon is freezing" she laughed, the writer smiling as he shook his head at her and quickly leant across to press a kiss to her lips before taking a bite of the ice cream. "Let me have a bit" she smiled, the writer nodding as he covered the spoon in the chocolate ice cream and lifted it towards her; the brunette quickly covering the spoon with her mouth and savouring the taste of the ice cream. "God that's good" she admitted.

"I know; that's why I ordered it silly" he smiled before he leant across and pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose and moved away. "We have to stop kissing, otherwise this ice cream will melt and we'll regret that later" he explained, Kate nodding as she dipped her spoon into the chocolate mix and began to eat it while Rick just watched her in amazement. Finishing the ice cream, Rick slowly put the pot down on the floor before he looked at the brunette. "Do you trust me?" he asked; her head nodding as he smiled.

"Shut your eyes and open your mouth" he ordered as she bit into her lip and stared at him in confusion. Leaning forward, he kissed her gently before she slowly shut her eyes and opened her mouth. Reaching under the pillow, the writer smiled as he pulled out the chocolate and removed a chunk before placing it in her mouth. "Be careful" he whispered, the brunette smiling as she bit down and opened her eyes in excitement.

"Chocolate" she mumbled around the food as he nodded and watched her beam. Finishing the food, Kate smiled as she kissed him gently and smiled against his lips as his arms wrapped around her body.

"You taste like chocolate" he smiled.

"Well I did just eat it silly" she giggled before she looked across at the time and sighed. "We need to get some sleep" she explained.

"Can I ask a favour then?" he smiled as she slowly nodded, his hands running to the tie of the white robe she was wearing as she stared down. "Take this off" he whispered, leaning across to press a kiss to her neck as Kate's fingers ran to join his in undoing the knot.

"Only if you take your clothes off too" she smiled; the writer nodding as he watched her fingers run to the bottom of his t-shirt and pull it up; the man removing it properly as Kate slipped the robe off her body and watched him remove his boxers. Reaching across, Kate quickly turned the light off before Rick pulled the blanket over their bodies and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I love you Rick".

"I love you too" he yawned as he pressed a kiss into her cherry scented hair and felt her bury her head against his chest, her eyes shutting as she also yawned and allowed her body to shut down.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOOX

"This is nice" she admitted as they walked down the beach together, his arm wrapped around her waist as they held onto their shoes and felt the sand in between their toes. "Alexis would love it here; the sun, the sea, the sand" she whispered, Rick smiling at the brunette's mention of his daughter. "I remember when I told her I was coming here, she was so annoyed that she couldn't come with me" she laughed, Rick nodding as he turned to look at her.

"I love that about you; you care so much about everyone else and yet you hardly do anything selfish" he explained, Kate shrugging before he kissed her gently.

"Wait, I forgot to give you something last night" she admitted as Rick nodded and watched as she dug through her purse. Lifting out the piece of paper, the brunette smiled as she passed it to the writer and watched as he unfolded it to find the image his daughter had painted the day before Kate had left for Miami. "Alexis painted it for you; we ended up getting paint everywhere" she laughed as Rick grinned and continued to stare at the image. Moving to look down at the picture, Kate smiled as she pointed at the figures Alexis had drawn. "That's Alexis of course because she's got her bright red hair" she laughed. "That's you and that surprisingly is me".

"She really caught you perfectly in this picture" Rick commented as Kate rolled her eyes.

"I look like a stick Rick" the brunette explained as Rick nodded and ran his fingers to tickle her side; Kate giggling in response.

"Well you are very skinny Miss Beckett" he admitted as she shrugged and quickly moved away from him; taking the image back to put in her purse.

"She wanted me to bring it with me and told me to tell you that it was so you could have your family with you wherever you were" she admitted, Rick smiling weakly before he kissed her gently and felt her head rest against his shoulder. "She thinks that I'm family Rick" she whispered as Rick nodded and stared across at the beach which was becoming quickly full with couples.

"Kate, you stayed at my apartment when she was sick. Mother even told me that the day after I left and when you stayed around, you made Alexis breakfast and even took her to school and you've been there every night before she falls asleep when I give her a story down the phone. Of course she sees you as family" he explained, Kate smiling weakly as she thought about waking up to find the small redhead curled up beside her fast asleep in the early hours of the morning.

"I love her Rick" she admitted as the writer nodded. "She's the sweetest person I've ever met and you've done such an amazing job raising her" the brunette explained as she moved away from the writer and linked her fingers with his, moving to lead him towards the water. Feeling the waiter run over her feet, Kate sighed as the writer remained close to her and occasionally pressed a kiss into her hair. "When do we have to return to the world of reality?" she asked as he groaned and looked down at his watch.

"In twenty minutes" he admitted as Kate groaned. "On the talk of reality, I haven't asked you the most important question" he explained as the brunette nodded and stared at him as the water continued to cover their feet. "When are you leaving me again?" he asked, Kate sighing as she looked across at the water and felt him move closer to her body.

"Tomorrow afternoon" she explained, the writer groaning as he wrapped his arms around her torso and pressed a kiss into her neck. She was dressed in a pair of white pants, a dark red t-shirt highlighting the paleness of her skin; he adored the way the clothes clung to her figure and he couldn't help but hold her a little tighter. "We have twenty minutes of fun left before everything goes crazy again" she admitted, the writer nodding as he led her away from the water and stood in the middle of the beach with her.

"Put your purse down" he explained as he put his shoes on the sand and watched her do the same with her own shoes and her purse. "Trust me" he smiled, Kate nodding slowly. "Cross your arms like this" he smiled, demonstrating as he folded one arm over the other, Kate doing the exact same as he looked at her. "Take my hands and don't let go" he laughed, Kate nodding as she clutched onto them and kept her arms crossed like him. "Now run; run as fast as possible" he screamed, staring to run in a circle as Kate laughed and did the same; both of them laughing at the feeling. Falling back, Kate smiled as she fell onto the sand and watched the writer for a moment before he lay himself down beside her. Staring up at the sky, they both sighed as they reached across and linked fingers in amusement.

"You make me laugh" she admitted. "It was the first things that made me fall in love with you" Kate explained as Rick nodded. "You're gentle and yet you're unbelievably passionate when it comes around to it; last night proved that to me completely. You balance being a father and a boyfriend better than anyone I could ever imagine and most of all you love me for me" she listed as the writer listened to her.

"How couldn't I love you for you Katie?" he asked. "You're beautiful, kind, you didn't do a runner when I told you I had a five year old daughter on our first date" he explained, Kate laughing as she sat up and looked down at him. Holding his arm up, Rick stared at the time and groaned before he reached across for his shoes. "I've got to get going, I have another book signing and Gina will kill me if I'm late" he explained.

"Let me walk with you" she begged, hating the idea that Gina was controlling their schedule. Putting her shoes on, Kate sighed as she quickly stood up and grabbed her purse as Rick took her hand and led her away from the beach.

"Where are you going to go while I'm there?" he asked as he clung to her hand, enjoying the feeling of just being with her with.

"Probably back to the hotel" she admitted as they approached the next book shop. "I'll probably call mom and then Alexis; read some books and think about how you're with all these beautiful women while I'm all alone in our hotel room, siting on our bed" she explained as he groaned and wrapped his arms around her as he observed the queue that was forming inside. "Go and be the man who wrote the words that I fell in love with" the brunette whispered before kissing him gently and smiling at him; her hand clinging to his as he moved away. Feeling her fingers slide across his, Kate shut her eyes as she felt him disappear from her touch completely before her eyes slowly opened to find him entering the building with a large smile on his face.

OXOXOXOXOXOXO

"How's Miami then Kate? How's Rick?" Johanna asked as Kate relaxed back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling; her mind remembering the previous night. Remembering the way his hands had felt on her bare skin and how his lips had been warm on her neck. Remembering how he'd been gentle and loving and listened to every word she'd gasped and mumbled and cried. Most of all she remembered how he was teaching her what she liked, what she didn't and making sure she wasn't in any pain that there didn't need to be.

"Miami's amazing mom, you'd love it here" she admitted. "We spent the morning on the beach together before he had to leave for another signing and last night we sat up and just laughed and ate stupid amounts of chocolate ice cream" she explained before sighing and looking across at the balcony; remembering him coming to find her and wrapping his arms around her.

"Katherine Beckett, you did more than eat chocolate ice cream and laugh last night" Johanna declared as Kate remained in silence, shock covering her face as she took in the fact that her mother had guessed immediately. "So are you okay? You were protected right?" the older woman declared as Kate groaned and buried her face into the pillow.

"Mom" she squealed before laughing, relaxing back in the bed as she sighed. "We were safe, I promise and I'm fine, I promise" Kate admitted, embarrassed about discussing her newly found sex life with her mother. "And that's the end of the conversation" she explained. "How was dad when you told him I was going to Miami?" she asked.

"He was shocked but he did let you go to the Hamptons for a weekend Kate, I think he's realising that he doesn't have that much control over you anymore" the older woman explained as Kate nodded. "Look, I'm going to come and pick you up from the airport" Johanna informed her as Kate smiled and let out a deep breath.

"Look I have to go mom, I love you" she admitted as Johanna smiled at her daughter's words.

"I love you too Katie, be careful okay" she smiled.

"Mom we ended that conversation remember" Kate moaned before she laughed and said goodbye; putting the phone down a few moments later before she rolled her eyes and relaxed.

**So what do you think? **


	27. Chapter 27

"Hurry up" he moaned as he sat on the end of the bed and watched the bathroom door, waiting for her to appear. Hearing a small creak, he smiled as he stood up and watched Kate walk out in a long white dress that clung to her figure while her dark hair was perfectly curled over her shoulders. Turning so he could see the outfit properly, Kate laughed at the shocked impression that covered his face at the sight of her. "You look… wow" he smiled, a small giggle leaving her lips as he approached her and quickly stole a kiss; a laugh leaving his lips at her silence afterwards. "Come on, I'm starving" he explained, entwining fingers with her as she followed him out of the hotel room with the largest grin covering her face.

"So where are we going?" she smiled as they slowly walked out of the hotel together moments after leaving their room.

"I thought we could go somewhere nice for dinner and then for a walk along the beach. Just the two of us on our last night alone together for a long time" he explained, kissing her lightly before she relaxed into his side. "And maybe, we could go back to the hotel and then have a nice long soak in a bubble bath together" he whispered into her hair as she giggled lightly and nodded; leaning up to quickly press a kiss to his lips. "I think here looks good for dinner" he explained, leading her into the small restaurant as Kate smiled and watched him approach the waiter who acted like he knew Rick already. Returning to Kate, the writer smiled as she glared up at him.

"So want to tell me how the waiter knows who you are when you've never been to Miami before?" she asked as they followed the waiter through the restaurant. "Wait where are we going?" she inquired as she looked around to see them leaving the main seating area of the restaurant. Entering the back of the restaurant, Rick smiled at the sight of the confused looking brunette. Leading her up a flight of stairs, Rick laughed as Kate clung onto his hand tighter and followed him into a small room that the waiter had led them too.

"This is where we're going Kate" he admitted as Kate stared at him in shock before wrapping her arms around his neck. Watching the waiter leave behind her, the writer sighed as Kate moved away slightly. "I came in earlier to arrange our dinner and asked whether there was anywhere we could be alone and here we are. Also his wife is a fan of my books so I promised to have a photograph with her" he explained as he walked over and quickly pulled a chair out for her and watched her sit down before he took the seat opposite her.

"I can't believe you did this for me Rick, it's so amazing in here and so quiet" she mumbled, looking around the room as her smile continued to grow at everything she observed. Feeling him lace his fingers with her across the table, Kate smiled before she turned to look at him and laughed.

"I've got to spoil my beautiful girlfriend on our last night together in Miami, haven't I?" he admitted, leaning across to kiss her lightly as she smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "Twenty questions? It's our waiting game" he asked quickly, Kate nodding as she squeezed his hand and smiled across at him. "Favourite author?" he smiled.

"Rick you can't ask that, you just want me to boost your ego today" she laughed, the writer shrugging as she looked down at their hands. "You know that you're my favourite author Rick, why else would I stay up all night to read a book?" she explained, leaning across to kiss him gently. "It does also help that you're my boyfriend as well" she admitted, the writer nodding before the door opened and a younger waiter re-entered the room. Staring down at their menus as the man waited patiently, the writer smiled as Kate ran her foot up his leg; her teeth catching her bottom lip as she kept her focus on the menu. Reciting her order, the brunette quickly looked up and felt her smile disappear as she noticed the waiter looking down her dress; Rick looking up to see the same thing as Kate nervously wrapped her arms around her chest to hide the bare skin. Quickly saying his order, Rick watched as the man stood there for a while longer just staring at Kate.

"I think our food won't get made unless you leave and give our order to someone" Rick smiled as the waiter nodded and quickly slid out of the room. "Pervert" he muttered before he noticed at how uncomfortable the brunette looked. "I can talk to my guy if you want, get another waiter for us. Maybe even a woman" he explained, her head shaking as she looked across at him and forced a smile onto her face.

"He's just a guy Rick, it doesn't matter" she admitted, bringing his hand to her lips before she pressed a kiss to his knuckles. "This is already amazing, nothing is going to ruin it I promise" the brunette explained as his hand moved to rest against her cheek. "I don't care about the waiter and whether he's disgusting and staring down my dress, I'm just happy being here with you in this restaurant, together" she smiled, leaning across to kiss him lightly. "I love you Rick".

"I love you too Kate, so much" he smiled, watching as their drinks were brought into the room and they fell into a comfortable silence.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Where do you go after Miami?" she asked casually as the waiter brought her pasta before placing a steak in front of Rick. "Thank god you order something with fries, I've been craving them all day but I really wanted pasta as well" the brunette laughed, Rick's eyes rolling as his hands immediately covered the food to hide them from her.

"San Francisco, I'm quite excited actually" he admitted as the waiter left the room. "Although a long plane journey and even further away from you and Alexis doesn't sound amazing. I can't wait to come home at the end of the week. See my baby again and also my beautiful woman" he explained, the brunette raising her eyebrows as she smiled.

"So I'm your beautiful woman am I?" she asked as he nodded and laughed; still holding her hand tightly.

"Well you're beautiful, you're a woman and you are my girlfriend Miss Beckett. Therefore you're my beautiful woman" he explained as she shrugged and stared back down at her pasta. Smiling as he began to eat his meal, Rick quickly heard a bag and turned; Kate laughing as she quickly reached across and stole a couple of his fries. Looking across, shock covered Rick's face as he observed the fries in her hands before looking down to see some missing from his plate.

"I told you I wanted fries Rick, you should have kept a better eye on your food if you didn't want me to have some" she admitted, shrugging before she began to eat them again; his eyes rolling before he began to eat his own meal, occasionally looking up to see the brunette biting her lip while she watched him.

XOXOXOXOXOOX

"It really is beautiful here Rick" she admitted as she sat on the beach and stared out at the darkness, the sound of the sea making her smile as she relaxed into her back. She was seated in between his legs with his arms wrapped around her while he continued to press kisses to her neck every couple of moments. Moving his hands, the writer began to run his hands down her sides as Kate closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy his touch. It wasn't overly sexual but she adores td the way his hands ran over her skin and practically worshipped her body. Running his hands up, Rick smiled as they cupped her breasts, Kate gasping at the touch.

"You're so extraordinary Katherine" he whispered into her hair as she smiled. She always felt it when he said it to her! He made her believe it! "Want to go back to the hotel?" he asked quickly, the brunette nodding as she quickly stood up and too his hand; the writer smiling as he got to his feet and quickly tightened his arms around her. Walking towards the hotel, Kate smiled as she quickly looked down to see their hands joined again in between them. She was comfortable with him; a lot more than she'd been with any other guys. "Still want to soak in the tub?" he asked gently, her head nodding slowly as they entered the building together to find Gina by the elevator; her hands running through a dark haired man's hair as she continued to kiss him. "Want to get the stairs?"

"Yes" she laughed, the writer leading her away as she turned to see the action between Gina and the stranger becoming more heated. "She's practically eating his face off, she's really going for it" she commented as Rick turned and laughed.

"That's Gina for you, she doesn't ever know when to stop" Rick admitted as Kate's eyebrows rose.

"Do you have personal experience with that then Rick?" she asked quickly as they began to walk up the stairs.

"I was just commenting on it Kate" he groaned, watching as she began to walk up the stairs faster than him. "What is wrong with you? Whenever something happens with Gina or even when someone mentions her, you go completely different. You either go quiet and shut yourself off or you get all frustrated like this" the writer explained as she walked away from the stairs and down the corridor; the writer following her quickly. "How long will it take me to get you to believe that I'm not interested in Gina? I never have and never will be" he insisted as she opened the door.

"Tonight was perfect, now it's just…" she began.

"What? Ruined? Because I'm sorry but I wasn't the one who got all angry over a comment" he explained as he entered the hotel room and watched her approach the en-suite. "Katie, I'm sorry" he finally whispered as he noticed the look that was covering her face as she entered the smaller room and slammed the door; the sound of the door locking making him run his hands through his hair. "Katie?" he begged, approaching the door as the water began to run. "Katie, I'm sorry. Gina's nothing to me, I don't know how I'm supposed to prove that to you" he explained as he sat down on the floor and leant back against the door, unknown to the fact that Kate was sitting on the other side of, unknown to the fact that Kate was sitting on the other side of the door in silence.

**I know I left it in an annoying place but the quicker you review, the quicker I update. It's a true fact. **

**Thank you for your amazing responses to the last chapter, I adore hearing all your comments and I really hope you continue to enjoy this. **


	28. Chapter 28

"Kate I can't keep dealing with this" he admitted as they sat in silence for a few moments with the door in between them. "I really love you but when are you going to start trusting me? I know what the press has made you think but I'm not that guy, I thought you knew me better than that. I thought we were getting over this whole what people believe thing" he declared, his frustration still obvious.

"Rick" she mumbled as he fell silent. "I just…"

"Look Kate, I'm going to leave you to enjoy your bath and clear your head. I don't want to fight with you, I'll be on the balcony when you're finished if you want to talk" he admitted, standing quickly before he walked towards the door, collecting a bottle of wine from the mini bar. Grabbing his notebook and a pen, the writer sighed as he began to scribble into it; his thoughts quickly appearing all over the page in no particular order. He loved Kate but her continual worry over the woman he'd been with in the past was beginning to frustrate him.

Stepping out of the en-suite moments later after draining the bath and changing into her pyjamas, Kate sighed as she looked across to see the writer sitting on the balcony, her eyes immediately noticing the bottle of wine that was resting on the table. Looking across at the bed, she sighed at the sight of a box on her pillow, confusion covering her face as she sat down and took it into her hands. Opening it, she gasped at the small charm bracelet that was resting inside it on a white cushion.

"I found somewhere that custom makes them when I arrived in Miami it got finished today; I went to pick it up after the book signing today" he admitted, shocking her as she looked up to see him in the doorway. "The book is me because obviously I write books, the cherries represent you because you always smell like them and I adore that about you, the pumpkin is Alexis because she's my redheaded pumpkin and she adores you and well, the heart's obvious because I love you".

"It's beautiful" she admitted as she stood up and held it in her fingers; feeling the cold of the metal run across her skin. "I can't believe you got this made for me, it's stunning" she explained, looking up to see him standing there with his hands in his jeans pockets. "I'm sorry" she whispered, moving close to him as she held her arm out. "Put it on me please" she mumbled, the writer nodding as he took the bracelet and placed it around her wrist. Feeling him clasp the bracelet, Kate quickly grabbed his hand to stop him from moving away.

"I've never bought a woman jewellery before except for Meredith and that was a wedding ring" he admitted, Kate nodding as she kept her eyes on the bracelet. "Doesn't that say something Kate? And I know you hate it when I buy you things but I wanted to get you something special, something that showed how much you mean to me and my family and highlighted how unique you are" he admitted as she nodded and quickly wrapped her arms around his neck; her head resting into the crook as she sobbed.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Rick" she mumbled as tears rolled down her cheek and into his shirt. "I know I need to stop this but I'm just scared that you'll leave me for someone better" she admitted, not moving as he kept her close. "Someone who understands your world, someone who is closer to your age, someone who's perfect like Gina or even like Meredith" the brunette admitted, the writer moving away from her slowly as he rested his hands on her shoulders.

"Katie, you need to stop doubting yourself. I don't want someone who understands the world I'm in; I want someone who takes me away from it. I don't care about your age, it's just a number and anyway you are perfect. At least you're perfect to me" he admitted before hugging her. "Don't ever doubt how much you mean to me, don't ever doubt how much I love you" the writer whispered into her hair as she shut her eyes and rested against him.

"Can we just forget about the fight? Forget about how stupid I was? Forget about how jealous I was of Gina?" she asked quickly, his arms tightening around her as he rested his chin against her head. "I don't want to go tomorrow Rick I want to stay here with you" she admitted as she looked up at him to find him staring at her. "I don't want to go home when all I'll be thinking about is how I ruined our last night together".

"Kate, you didn't ruin it, I promise. I was angry when I said it but I promise I didn't mean it" he explained, pressing a kiss to her forehead gently before she relaxed. "Except for our stupid fight, everything was perfect" the writer promised as she found his hand and clung onto it; their eyes locking as she smiled up at him weakly. "You need to get over what Madison said about me that day" he declared as they walked towards the balcony together and stepped outside; the sound of music playing making her smile as his arms wrapped around her waist while she relaxed back against him.

"When I was little I always imagined what the man I fell in love with would be like" she laughed as he listened to her silently. "He was going to be funny, I always knew I'd want to be with someone funny because my parents always said I needed someone who could make me laugh and smile at least once a day" she admitted, Rick nodding as he pressed a kiss into her dark hair. "He had to be taller than me, I always found relationships where the man was shorter weird" she laughed, the writer smiling at the sound of her voice. "And he was just going to accept me for whoever I was, he wasn't going to try and change me. He was always going to hold me close when I was upset, fight for me when I gave up and most of all he was just going to love me every day" she explained, the writer turning her so she was facing him while her body rested against the bars.

"And have you found him?" he asked.

"I think so" she admitted, leaning up to kiss him gently as he smiled; enjoying the feeling of having his Kate back again. "I never had my bath, still fancy a soak in the tub?" the brunette suggested as he nodded and smiled.

"Just to ask, are we okay?" he said quickly as she nodded.

"We're fine" she smiled, the writer beaming before he lifted her into his arms; a squeal leaving her lips as he carried her back into the room.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

"You've got bubbles in your hair" he laughed as she rolled her eyes and ran her hands through her wet hair, the writer smiling as she relaxed back against him; the water covering their bodies. "Do you have to go home tomorrow?" he asked.

"We've talked about this" she moaned as her eyes shut. "I have to go home, back to reality Rick".

"But I like where we are now" he smiled, his hands resting on her stomach as she nodded. "When are we going to find time to do this in New York?" he asked, staring down at their naked bodies as she groaned. When would they find the time for this in New York? He had his daughter. His career. She had college. She had her family. Her father who would most defiantly not be happy at the knowledge she wasn't the innocent little girl he expected anymore.

"Shit where are we going to find time to do this in New York?" she asked as he laughed at her panicked expression. "I've got used to seeing you naked now" she moaned, his eyes rolling as he pressed a kiss into her hair.

"Yeah it's nice to know that you don't giggle anymore" he explained, Kate's head shaking as she remembered her nervous reaction.

"I giggle when I'm nervous" she admitted.

"I know that now Katherine Beckett" he smiled, tightening his arms around her as she sighed. "We'll have to make time in New York; sneak off for midnight rendezvous in scandalous motels where no one knows our names" he smiled as she moved to sit on the other side of the bath; their eyes locking before they both laughed at his comment. "I promise Kate we'll make time for each other, for this" he admitted, holding his hand out to her.

"For making love?" she asked.

"For making love" he repeated; her smile growing as she leant across to kiss him, a small laugh leaving her lips as their bodies moved closer. "The water's starting to get cold" he admitted against her lips as she laughed and moved to climb out of the tub. Watching her as she quickly wrapped a towel around her; he smiled as she knelt down beside the bath and leant across to kiss him again. "You're going to have really curly hair in the morning".

"How do you know that?" she smiled, loving how he knew everything about her.

"In the rain, your hair curls slightly" he admitted. "So I can't help but imagine how much it'll curl when it's soaking wet" he announced before climbing out of the tub and wrapping a towel around his hips. Standing, Kate smiled as his arms wrapped around her and their lips quickly found each other's; both of the fighting for control. "You're so beautiful" he whispered against her neck as he moved to press kisses along her shoulder.

XOXOXOXOXXOXO

"You're getting out of bed Kate" he moaned as he felt her slip out from under his arms, his eyes opening to watch her pull on one of his t-shirts as she ran her fingers through her curly hair. "Are you really leaving today?" he asked as she sat down beside him and nodded slowly. "What if I keep you here? Lock you into the hotel room and never let you go".

"My parents would probably call the police and our faces would be all over the news" she laughed as he sat up and groaned. "Also, I love you too much to let you go to prison for keeping me hostage" the brunette explained before she moved to kiss him. "We'll manage Rick" she admitted before slipping off the bed and collecting the clothes she'd left out before she'd packed. "I'm just going to get dressed" she explained, watching him nod as she entered the en-suite and shut the door.

"Who's picking you up from the airport?" he asked, loud enough so she would hear.

"My mom after work, she'll want to know every last detail about our trip" she explained from inside the room.

"Are you going to tell her about the fight we had?" he asked, Kate groaning as she opened the door and stuck her head out from inside the room.

"I thought we were going to forget that that ever happened Rick?" she declared as he turned to look at her and smiled. Watching her disappear back into the room, he sighed as he climbed out of the bed and pulled on a pair of boxer shorts; his hands running through his hair before he relaxed. Hearing the door open, the writer quickly turned to see Kate standing in a pair of jeans with a white t-shirt; her dark hair pulled away from her face as she approached the bedside table where her bracelet was resting. "Put it on me Rick" she whispered, holding it out to him before she smiled. Clasping it around her wrist, he smiled before he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss against her palm.

"I'll take you to the airport" he declared, Kate nodding as she kissed him gently and moved away to find her shoes. "And you'll call me the moment you get home, so I know you got there safely with no problems" he begged, her head nodding again as she found her boots and quickly pulled them on. Wrapping his arms around her, Rick sighed as she rested her head against his chest and hummed.

"This has been an amazing few days" she admitted. "Thank you, thank you for making it so special and for giving me this" she declared, holding up her wrist to reveal the bracelet. "I'm going to treasure it forever, it's so beautiful" she smiled, the writer nodding as she let out a deep breathe. Hearing a knock at the door, the writer sighed as he moved away from her and approached it to open the door and find Gina smiling at her.

"Amazing news Rick, I got you an interview this morning with a local journalist. She's going to be here in an around an hour" the blonde declared as she entered the hotel room and laughed; noticing that Kate was moving closer to her case. "Of course, you're leaving this morning Kate. Are you getting a cab to the airport?" she asked quickly, her smile growing as the writer looked across to see the writer staring at the brunette.

"Actually I was going to take her to the airport Gina, we were just about to leave" he explained as the blonde sighed and looked sympathetically across at the couple.

"Well I'm sorry that you'll have to go to the airport alone this morning Kate but this interview is an amazing opportunity for Rick" she smiled as Rick stepped forward and looked at the blonde.

"Gina you're just going to have to cancel in the interview or move it to later in the day" he admitted, shock covering her face as Kate bit into her lip to stop herself from smiling. "I'm taking Kate to the airport Gina, I made a promise and I'm not going to break it" he explained, wrapping his arm around Kate's waist as the brunette cuddled up against him. "I'll be back in a couple of hours" he declared, reaching across to take Kate's bag before he led her out of the hotel room.

"Did you really just cancel an interview for me?" she asked as they walked down the corridor.

"Of course, you're Kate Beckett, my girlfriend. I'd cancel a million interviews if it means I get to spend more time with you" he smiled as she smiled; finally realising that Gina wasn't as important as she thought now.

XOOXOXOXOOX

"Remember to call me the moment you get home, I need to know you're safe Katie" he declared, his arms wrapping around her as she nodded and looked across at the forming queue. "This seems far too familiar doesn't it?"

"Except for the fact that it was you leaving rather than me" she smiled, the writer nodding as he sighed at the realisation that she was going to leave him soon. "I've got to go now Rick, otherwise I'll miss the flight" she admitted, smiling when the groan left his lips. "I love you" she whispered, kissing him gently before she moved away.

"I love you too" he announced, bringing her close again to steal another kiss before she laughed and moved away; approaching the queue of people as he continued to watch until she disappeared with the crowd.


	29. Chapter 29

**You're all going to hate me! I know it already! But I couldn't resist any longer and if I didn't do it now, I would never do it! Also I apologise for how pathetically short this chapter is but I promise, the next one will be a lot longer! Thank you for your reviews to the last chapter, they were honestly amazing and I hope you enjoy this, if enjoy is a word! **

"Richard, can you please call your girlfriend and tell her to stop harassing me?" Gina announced as she entered the small restaurant of the hotel to find the writer sat down in the corner writing while eating his breakfast. Hearing the blonde's comment, he looked up at her in confusion as he shut the book and stood up; observing as she pulled back her hair. "She's been calling me all morning, looking for you. She sounds terrible Rick".

"Did she tell you what was wrong?" he asked quickly, Gina's head shaking as he quickly moved towards the elevator and took in what floor it was on. "Shit" he whispered, moving to run up the stairs as the blonde just watched from the other room. Running towards his room, the writer smiled at the sound of the phone ringing before he grabbed it. "Kate?" he guessed as he answered the phone, hoping that she sounded better than what Gina had said. Hearing sobbing down the line, he sat down on the edge of the bed and listened to her for a moment. "Katie talk to me, let me help you".

"I need you to come home" she cried, her voice weak as the writer shut his eyes, knowing he would return home if she was this upset over something. She was important to him and although the tours were important, they didn't even come close to his sobbing girlfriend. "I need you come home Rick, please come home" she sobbed, her voice clearly shaky as she practically coughed out the words.

"Katie, I'm going to start packing right now and I'm going to get the first flight home, I promise. Now tell me what's going on" he begged, standing quickly as he rested the phone in between his head and shoulder and began to grab whatever he could reach before throwing it into the case. "Katie, let me in. Let me help you" he whispered, attempting to comfort her in some way down the line.

"Rick, it's my mom" she mumbled, her voice almost silent under her loud tears.


	30. Chapter 30

Unlocking the door to the apartment, Rick sighed as he slipped inside to immediately find the brunette curled up on the couch with her head on his mother's lap while Martha played with her hair, attempting to comfort her in some way. Dropping his case, Rick smiled when his mother looked up at him with a sad smile covering her face as she observed him remove his jacket before walking over and kneeling beside the couch to find Kate with her eyes shut and tears silently running down her cheeks.

"Katie" he whispered, her eyes slowly opening as she stared across at him. Sitting up, Kate ran her fingers through her hair as Martha excused herself and disappeared upstairs before the writer took her place. "Want to talk?" he asked, her head shaking slowly as she moved and sat herself in his lap; his arms wrapping around her quickly while she rested her head against his shoulder. "I'm so sorry Katie" he whispered.

"We were going to dinner; dad and I were going to meet her at the restaurant because she had work she needed to finish. She never stopped working! She didn't turn up, we even laughed about it because we thought she'd locked herself out like the last time when we were with you" she admitted, a sad laugh leaving her lips as she continued to allow the tears run down her cheeks, not afraid of letting him see her uncontrollable emotions. "We knew the moment we saw the cop outside that mom was…" she stopped, unable to say the word. She couldn't say it! If she said it then it would become true and she didn't want that! She just wanted it to be a bad dream that she was going to wake up from; however much she knew it was true.

"I know Katie, I know" he mumbled, holding her close as she continued to cry. "Just remember the amazing times you had together and I know that wasn't as long as people expected and she was taken from you so... But you had an amazing relationship with her; anyone who saw you two together could see how much you loved each other" the writer explained as she relaxed in his arms, still silently crying. "And no one can take away that love Kate because it'll always be in your heart and she will always be with you" he promised, Kate nodding slowly as she shut her eyes and listened to his breathing. "Where's your dad?" he asked, concern filling his voice as he thought about the man who would most likely be alone if Kate was here.

"I don't know, probably in his room or having a drink somewhere. I haven't seen him properly since the cops came" she admitted, obviously angry with her father by the tone of her voice while he kept her close to his body. Hearing a knock at the door, they both looked across as Martha walked down the stairs and quickly opened the door, Alexis quickly running into the apartment as she noticed the couple.

"Daddy, Katie" she cheered, running over as Kate slipped off Rick's lap and sat on the other side of the couch. Jumping onto the couch, Alexis smiled as she quickly wrapped her arms around her father and laughed when he held her tighter than normal. "Daddy can't breathe, let go" she giggled, the writer smiling as he let her go and watched as she moved closer to Kate. "Katie" she whispered, noticing the tears that were running down her cheeks. "You're crying Katie, you're sad" she declared in shock, Kate's head shaking as she wiped them away and forced a smile onto her face.

"I'm just happy to see you Lex, they're happy tears" she said as she brought the redhead onto her lap and wrapped her arms around the small girl. "I love you Alexis, you know that right?" she whispered before she gently pressed a kiss into Alexis' hair and watched as the small girl nodded and cuddled up against her. Looking across at her, Rick sighed at the sight of Kate holding his daughter in her arms while tears filled her eyes.

"Do you want something to eat?" Rick asked quickly, Kate's head shaking as Alexis nodded. "Alexis tell Kate that it's bad to skip meals" he smiled, standing quickly as he walked over to press a kiss into the brunette's hair; his lips lingering a moment longer than needed.

"You need to eat Katie, it's bad" the redhead explained, looking up to see the brunette staring down at her.

"I guess I should eat something if it's bad" she mumbled, attempting to stay positive while Alexis was around. It wasn't fair for the five year old to have to deal with her issues and if she was around, Kate was going to try and be herself even for a few moments. "I'm just going to go stretch my legs" the brunette smiled, slipping off the couch before she walked towards Rick's bedroom and disappeared behind the door as Rick looked at his daughter.

"Did I do something wrong? Did I make Katie sad daddy?" Alexis asked as he shook his head and walked over to her. Kneeling in front of the five year old, Rick quickly took her hands in his as he forced a smile on his face. "Daddy?" the redhead immediately questioned.

"Pumpkin, Kate's very upset at the moment" he admitted as confusion covered her face. "And it's nothing you've done baby" he smiled, sitting down on the couch beside her as she cuddled up against him. "Remember when Paige was upset because of her grams" he whispered, Alexis nodding as her smile disappeared. "Remember we said that Paige's gram went to heaven and was looking down from the sky on her every day and every night" he explained as the redhead nodded slowly, trying to listen to everything he was saying. "Well Katie's mommy went to heaven as well and Katie's very upset because she misses her mom" he muttered, his eyes shutting as he heard Kate crying in his bedroom.

"So Katie's mommy died?" Alexis asked, Rick nodding as he pressed a kiss into her hair.

"Yeah baby" he whispered, holding her for a moment before he stood up. "Why don't you go upstairs and see what gram's doing? I'll call you when dinners ready" he explained, Alexis nodding as she ran upstairs before the writer walked towards his room and pushed the door open to find Kate lying in the middle of the bed with her face buried into the pillow. "Oh Katie" he whispered, shutting the door before he slid onto the bed behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "When's the funeral?" he asked.

"Monday" she whispered, turning to face him as he watched her. "The funerals on Monday" she muttered as their fingers laced together. "Will you come with me?" she asked; her face tearful as he nodded and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Of course I'm going to be there Kate" he explained as she rested against him. "I need to make Alexis dinner, anything you fancy?" he asked, her head shaking as he sighed. "Katie, I can tell you haven't eaten anything. You're stomach keeps making noises and you think you're hiding it but you're not" he explained as he moved their joined hands to her stomach. "You need to eat; your mom wouldn't want you to get sick Katie".

"I'm not hungry, it's just making noises" she lied, his eyes rolling as he kept their hands against her stomach as it rumbled again. "I don't want anything to eat Rick, maybe later" she whispered, the writer nodding as she yawned. "Actually, I'm tired. Do you mind?" she asked, his head shaking as he sat up and moved off the bed; his hands dragging the blanket over her body as she smiled weakly.

"If you need anything, I'm just outside okay?" he declared, her head nodding slowly as she attempted to relax. "I love you" he whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek as she shut her eyes.

"I know" she mumbled, the writer nodding as he slowly left the room and shut the door behind him.

XOOXOXOXOXXOO

Sitting down at the table with his daughter, Rick sighed as the redhead stared down at her pasta and began to wrap the spaghetti, silence filling the apartment as they both began to slowly eat. Hearing Kate screaming and the sound of cutlery dropping from his daughter's hand as she jumped, Rick quickly stood up and ran down the corridor, his hand pushing the bedroom door open to find Kate thrashing around in the middle of the bed.

"Kate, you need to wake up now" he announced, running his hand to her cheek as she continued to scream. Finding her hand, the writer quickly squeezed it as he stared at her. "It's okay, I'm here. You need to wake up Katie, you need to wake up" he comforted, watching as her screams began to calm down before her eyes opened. Flinging her arms around his neck, Kate shut her eyes as she allowed him to move her to his lap. "It's okay, it was just a dream. It was just a dream" he whispered against her dark hair.

"They were stabbing her and I couldn't make them stop, why wouldn't they stop hurting her Rick?" she asked, tears falling down her face as his hands ran to her cheeks; their eyes locking quickly. "Why did they kill her? She's never hurt anyone. Everyone loved her. She didn't even do anything wrong; she rarely drank, she didn't do drugs. All she was a wife, mother and a lawyer, she didn't hate anyone" she muttered, her voice almost childlike as she listed her thoughts while he shook his head.

"I don't know Katie, I really don't know but I promise we're going to find out who did this to your mom and they're going to go away for what they did to her" he announced, keeping her close as she continued to unconsciously shake in fear. "I promise" he whispered again, hoping she'd believe him. "I have to get Alexis to bed".

"I want to do it" she mumbled, confusion covering his face as she stood up and ran her fingers through her hair. "I've been putting her to bed most nights you were away until…" she began before falling silent. "I'm not going to let this destroy Alexis; she doesn't need this in her life. This isn't her problem to deal with and she's got used to me being there. I need to stick with that if I'm here" she admitted as the writer nodded and nervously stood up, his eyes remaining focused on her.

"You don't need to do this Kate, Alexis understands that you're upset" he explained as he took hold of her hand. "She'll understand if you're not ready to do this" he admitted, running his hand to her cheek as she smiled weakly at him, trying not to cry again. Moving away without saying a word, Kate sighed as she quickly moved out of the room and saw Alexis standing by the table. Running over, the small girl quickly wrapped her arms around the woman's legs.

"I'm sorry Katie" Alexis whispered, Kate's head shaking as she lifted the redhead into her arms and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Lex" she explained, carrying her up the stairs as Rick watched nervously from the corridor.

"Daddy says when you go to heaven, you watch the people you love and they stay safe because they protect you" the redhead explained as she sat down on her bed with the brunette. "You're mommy is going to watch you Katie, I know it" she explained, Kate smiling weakly as she wrapped her arms around the redhead and sighed.

"I hope you're right Lex" she whispered, her eyes shutting as she felt Alexis move and lie down in her bed. "I bet your dad wants to come and tell you a story before you go to sleep. Do you want me to go and get him?" she asked, Alexis' head shaking as she grabbed Kate's hand and stopped her from moving. "What's wrong?" she asked gently.

"I want you to smile again Katie" the redhead admitted as tears appeared in Kate's eyes. Moving slightly, Kate sighed as she relaxed beside the small girl and hugged her as Alexis shut her eyes and relaxed.

"Give me some time baby and I'll smile again, I promise" Kate whispered as she pressed a kiss to Alexis' hair. "I love you silly girl" she mumbled before silence filled the room, both of them falling asleep in a matter of moments.

**I know Kate's up and down and all around the place in this chapter but she's just lost her mom and it's emotional overload in her brain. The chapters will get better, I promise. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this, if enjoyed is the right word of course and please review! Reviews make my day and make me smile which isn't an easy thing to do. **


	31. Chapter 31

Entering her bedroom slowly after allowing himself into the apartment with the spare key Kate had given him, Rick sighed at the woman who was lying across the bed in the black dress she'd chosen; tears streaming down her face as she clung onto the bear he'd seen her holding in the past when she was upset. She was still a child! A teenager who had lost her mother! He'd never seen it as clear as he did now that she was younger than him and still pretty dependant on her parents, especially her mother.

"We need to go" he whispered, gaining her attention as she nodded and slowly sat up. "Come here" he smiled, sitting himself on the edge of the bed as he grabbed a tissue and began to wipe away the tears and ruined mascara from her face. "You look beautiful, your mom would be so proud of you" he sighed, pressing a kiss to her forehead as she shut her eyes and hugged him. "I got you something" he admitted.

"Rick" she groaned.

"It's just a chain Kate" he admitted, taking the box out of his pocket as she watched him remove the chain from the scarlet protection. "For your mom's ring, then you can wear it everywhere and she'll always be there for you" he explained, Kate smiling weakly as she reached into her drawer and took out the small box that contained her mother's engagement ring.

"Thank you" she whispered, slipping the ring onto the chain and sighing before he took it into his hands and slipped it around her neck. Standing, he slowly took hold of her hands and helped her up; the brunette unsteady on the heels she was wearing as she attempted to calm herself. "I can't believe she's gone" she admitted, the writer nodding as he ran his fingers to her cheek. "My mom Rick, she's really gone".

"I know" he sighed, hating that he couldn't do anything to help her.

XOXOOXOOXOXO

Standing with the collection of people around the coffin, Rick sighed as he watched Kate stand and shakily unfold the piece of paper that he'd seen her draft her speech on the morning after she'd slept around his apartment. Opening her mouth as everyone stared at her, Kate sighed as she quickly stared down at her scribbled writing and watched as her tears dripped onto the piece of paper.

"My mom, Johanna Beckett, lived life to the full. She was a workaholic, everyone knew it but that didn't stop her from being the best mother I could have ever imagined" she recited as her tears got worse, her head looking up as her eyes searched for Rick who quickly approached her and took hold of her hands; the people around them smiling weakly at the couple. "She loved me and my dad more than anything and she was always knew how to stop our fights, normally by laughing at how stupid we were being" she smiled through her tears before she looked up at Rick. "I can't do this, I can't. I'm sorry" she panicked as he nodded and took hold of the piece of paper from her.

"She focused on being the wife and mother that she wanted to be and always believed life never gave us anything we couldn't handle" Rick read as he felt Kate cuddle up against him. "She was passionate, funny and never gave up until she got what she wanted from life. She'll be extremely missed by her daughter, husband, family and friends" he reworded as Kate smiled weakly and felt her tears get worse.

"I love you mom" Kate whispered as she looked across to see her father standing alone in silence, his arms wrapped around his body as he continued to stare at the coffin. Looking across at the older man, Rick sighed as he noticed how ill Jim Beckett looked and also the way he was trying to hide his shaking hands. "I'm so sorry mommy, I'm so sorry" Kate sobbed as Rick continued to keep her close; knowing she was going to hate herself from breaking down in front of everyone. Feeling her head bury against his chest as she continued to cry, Rick sighed as he ran his hands up and down her back while he watched everyone place the roses on the coffin. Johanna Beckett was really gone! The kind loving brunette who he'd grown to love and respect in the short time he'd gotten to know her. Touching her cheek, Rick watched as she looked up at him with bloodshot eyes; her tears becoming worse as he gently pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"We'll do it together okay?" he explained, Kate nodding as she laced her fingers with his and slowly approached the coffin. Moving forward, the brunette gently placed the white rose onto the coffin; Rick doing the same right beside her. Keeping her close, the writer sighed as he felt Kate shaking uncontrollably in his arms. "Come on, we better get you home" he explained, her head nodding slowly as she allowed him to lead her away from the grave where Jim was standing alone, clearly trying to fight back the tears as he clung to the flower. "Jim do you want a lift home?" he asked, his concern obvious in his voice.

"No thank you Richard, I just want a moment alone" he explained, the younger man nodding as Kate moved away from him slowly and approached her father. "I'll see you back at home Kate" he whispered, Kate's eyes shutting as she turned away from her father; able to smell the alcohol on his breathe when he spoke to her.

"Okay" she muttered, walking back over to the writer who wrapped his arm around her.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, hating himself for how stupid the question sounded after he'd said it.

"Everything's fine, he's just upset Rick. Let's go" she lied with tears in her eyes, not wanting to admit the truth of what was really going on while attempting to change his focus of conversation.

XOXOOOOXOXOXOX 

"I'm very sorry for your loss, Johanna was a lovely woman and she'll be extremely missed at the firm. I'll always be extremely grateful to her for what she did for me" the familiar blonde said as she quickly shook Jim's hand and moved to shake Kate's as the brunette smiled weakly at the woman and watched her disappear.

"She worked with my mom, mom was training her in a way. She desperately wanted to be a lawyer and mom never stopped helping her" Kate explained to the writer who was stood beside her. "I'm tired" she admitted, Rick nodding as she disappeared towards her bedroom with her hand clinging onto his. Entering the room again, Kate sighed as the noise of people were making outside as she kicked off her shoes and reached across for her pyjamas. Quickly changing in front of him, the writer sighed as he removed his shoes and sat on the bed with her; his arms wrapping around her body.

"This is for you Kate" he whispered, digging into his pocket to remove the small red bag before he passed it to her; watching as she opened it and removed the small star charm for the bracelet she was wearing. "Your mom's with the stars watching you and she'll always be there even if you can't see her" he explained, a small tearful smile covering her face as he placed the charm onto the bracelet and kissed her forehead gently. "Get some sleep, I'll be here to make the nightmares go away" he whispered, Kate nodding as she smiled weakly and wrapped her arms around him; burying her head into his chest.

"Tell me a story Rick" she mumbled, a small smile covering his face as he looked down at her and watched her for a moment.

"Okay" he whispered, pressing a kiss into her hair before he began to make up a story to tell her; the plot childish as she began to silently fall asleep beside him.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Feeling the writer move next to her, Kate groaned as she looked up to see him with the phone pressed against his ear while his back faced her.

"I don't know when I'll be home mother" he admitted as his hands run through his hair. "Tell Lex that I'll be there to take her to school in the morning, Kate needs me here at the moment" he explained, her hand running to his back as he turned and smiled at her. "I know mother, I'll be there tomorrow I promise I just…" he began before Kate sat up and kissed his cheek gently.

"Let's go to your apartment" Kate whispered as she stood up and pulled a jumper on over her body.

"Change of plan mother, we're heading over to the apartment now" he explained before nodding. "Okay, tell Alexis I'll read her story when we get home. It'll be the first thing I do when I get through the door mother" the writer smiled before saying goodbye and putting the phone down. "Are you sure about this? I don't mind staying here with you" he admitted, her head shaking quickly as she moved closer to him.

"Your apartment is full of life, full of people, full of family and smiles and laughter" she explained as tears ran down her cheeks. "My family is dead Rick" the brunette whispered.

"You still have your dad; he's asleep in the next room. He's still with you Katie, he's not gone" he explained to her as she looked down.

"Is he?"


	32. Chapter 32

"I see Kate slept over again Richard" Martha commented as she walked downstairs to see the writer making breakfast while Alexis ran around looking for her school stuff. "Rick, you can't keep doing this" the redhead explained, confusion covering his face as she looked up quickly and sighed. "I understand she's going through a hard time but this is starting to crash into Alexis' life" the older woman explained as Alexis jumped into her chair and watched as her father placed her breakfast in front of her and relaxed.

"Mother not here please, Alexis doesn't need to hear this" Rick explained before pressing a kiss into his daughter's red hair before moving away and approaching his office; his mother following him slowly. "What's wrong mother?" the writer asked quickly as he sat down and looked across at her; watching as she shut the door and crossed her arms.

"I know things are hard for Kate at the moment and she's a lovely girl and I hate that she's going through this but this it's starting to become in between you and Alexis" she admitted as Rick looked down ashamed, knowing she was right. "She's been staying over every night since it happened and she's hardly home. I've never seen her go to college and she hardly eats. All your focus is on Kate right now that Alexis hardly sees you except for when you're making or doing something for Kate. You haven't read her a bed time story for days and every time I go in to check on her she asks whether you're going to come and see her" she admitted as Rick nodded slowly. "I really do understand but this is your daughter".

"I'm trying" he whispered, ashamed that he was ignoring his daughter. "I'm trying to be a father and a boyfriend at the same time but it's not working and I don't know what to do" he explained, Martha sighing as she walked over and rested her hand on his shoulder. "And there's something going on with Jim and Kate won't tell me anything and I don't know how to help her mom, I just want to be there for her when she needs me" he admitted, letting it all out as the redhead continued to watch him. "Help me".

"I don't know what you can do Richard, I've never been in this situation. All I know is that Alexis is your five year old daughter and she misses her daddy" the redhead explained as Rick groaned and pulled open the envelope of his drawer; taking the envelope out from inside it as his mother continued to watch.

"I got them developed a couple of days ago, she's so beautiful" he explained as he took the photographs of Kate in Miami and the Hamptons out. "This is the Kate I'm waiting for, this is the Kate that I know is going to be come back to me one day. I just have to fight for her and support her mom" he explained, finding the image of Kate laughing on the beach as the wind ran in her hair and sent it flying all over the place. "But I don't want to lose my relationship with Alexis because of what's going on with Kate" he sighed, standing quickly to remove an old photo from a frame and replace it with the image of Kate and him that a random couple had taken. Hearing a knock at the door, they both turned to see Alexis standing in the doorway with a note in her hand.

"Daddy" she muttered as she walked over and climbed onto his lap before he took the piece of paper from her. "It's from Katie, she was outside the door" she explained, a small groan leaving his lips as confusion covered his face while he slowly unfolded the piece of paper and stared at the tear stained note.

_I'm sorry. I'm not going to destroy your family too._

_Katie. _

"Pumpkin, where did Katie go after she gave you this?" he asked quickly as the small girl stared at him in confusion at her father's worried reaction.

"She left dad, she was crying as well" the redhead explained before jumping off his lap and sorting out her jacket. "Daddy we need to go, we're late" she moaned, watching as the writer quickly stood up and looked at his mother. "Daddy" Alexis groaned, clutching onto his hand as he nodded slowly.

"Okay pumpkin, we're going right now I promise" he explained as he looked at his mother who was reading the note from behind him. "Can you try calling Kate for me please? I need to talk to her about this. Tell her to meet me at the coffee shop at midday or something" he begged as Martha slowly nodded and watched as Martha began to drag him out of the room.

"Daddy stop talking, we're late" the young redhead declared as Martha laughed and watched Rick lift her into his arms and press a kiss to her cheek. "Stop daddy, we need to go to school now" she moaned as they disappeared out of the room as the older redhead continued to watch them.

XOOXOXOXOX

"So what time am I meeting Kate mother?" he asked as he re-entered the apartment and stared at his mother who was sat on the couch, looking down ashamed. "She didn't answer the phone did she?" he whispered, her head shaking as he sat down and sighed; his hands running up to cover his face.

"Rick maybe it was time" Martha admitted as he quickly shook his head and sighed. "I know she meant the world to you Richard" she explained, his head shaking as he looked across at her and watched her for a moment.

"Kate was different. She isn't a model or an actress or someone who is interested in my money. She's real and I'm not going to lost that, I'm not going to lose her mom" he explained, feeling like a teenager after his first break up. "I love her mother and I'm not going to let her go as easily as she wants" the writer admitted.

"Fight for her then, don't let her go" she explained as she took in how serious her son was. This was her son and although she'd said things that morning, she wanted him to be with someone special who he loved and that was Kate.

"I'm going to go and see her, try and get her to talk to me about what's going on with us. See if I can get her to at least tell me why she just decided to walk out this morning without even saying anything to me" he explained, the redhead nodding as she watched her son walk towards the door and disappear out of the apartment as quickly as he'd arrived. Driving to her apartment building, Rick sighed as he climbed out of his car and practically ran to the lift; his hand practically hitting the button for her floor as he waited patiently inside the metal box. Stepping out, Rick sighed as he approached the apartment and knocked on the door quickly. "Please open the door" he whispered to himself, smiling when the door opened slightly with the chain still on; Kate staring at him in confusion.

"What are you doing here?" she asked quickly.

"Well my girlfriend did a runner this morning and it did sound like she was breaking up with me when I read the note she wrote to me and I was wondering whether she'd have the decency to talk to me about her decision" he explained as she looked down at him quickly; her eyes shutting briefly as she sighed.

"Look Rick, we had fun and everything but…" she began.

"Don't you dare Kate" he warned. "Don't end this because of something I know you heard my mother said" he begged, hating his mother to expressing her opinion that morning. "This is the best thing that's ever happened to me since Alexis and I don't want it to end" he explained as she shook her head, keeping the door on its chain as he continued to watch her. "Let me in, we can talk about this" he smiled, her head shaking again as she bit into her lip.

"Rick it was fun while it lasted but we were never going to be serious in the end. There are too many differences between us for this to become more than it already was" she lied, hating herself for ending the one thing she wanted to keep. "You have a beautiful little girl at home and she needs her daddy a lot more than she's been getting. I'm not going to ruin the amazing relationship you have with your daughter and one day you'll understand why I'm doing this" she admitted before reaching through the gap and finding his hand. "Thank you for everything you've done for me" she whispered gently as he clung onto his hand.

"I'm not going to let you do this, I'm not going to let this end because of something my mother said that upset you" he whispered, not wanting to end this as she shook her head and quickly let go of his hand; moving further back into her apartment.

"I'm sorry Rick but I can't do this anymore. I can't be the woman you want, I can't be the Katie you thing I am" she explained, moving to shut the door as he shook his head.

"I love you" he blurted out, his statement stopping her for a brief moment. "And I know you love me too, even though you've stopped saying it since your mom died" the writer explained, moving so he could see her. "I love you Katherine Beckett".

"Go home, spend time with your daughter, go back to be the writer everyone wants you to be" she admitted, shutting the door before she allowed tears to run down her cheek. Turning, the brunette sighed as she took in the empty wine bottles and beer cans that littered her apartment while her father lay across the couch practically asleep with a beer in his hands. Sitting down against the door, Kate sobbed as she ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head before standing and approaching the kitchen; her hands going to the fridge as she searched for the one thing she thought might help.

**What do you think? The last chapter didn't receive as many reviews as the last chapter so I'm beginning to feel like I'm losing reviewers because I killed Johanna! However, I'm really grateful to everyone who reads, reviews, puts this on their alerts or favourites; you're all amazing and I promise this story will become slightly happier! **


	33. Chapter 33

**Oh wow! You're response to the last chapter was amazing! Hopefully you enjoy this chapter, although it is slightly dramatic. Please continue to review, I love hearing from all of you and your responses are honestly amazing and every single one means so much to me! **

"Are you going to stay there all day again Richard?" Martha asked as she walked down the stairs to see her son lying across the couch again with a tub of ice cream on his lap while he watched a movie. The sight had become a familiar thing for the past weekend and it was obvious that his move hadn't improved. "This is the one thing I regret about bringing you up on my own, you've picked up girly ideas" she commented, the writer shaking his head before he reached across to grab the beer can off the floor and showed it to her. "I'm really glad that you've picked up my bad drinking habits" she moaned before sitting down in a free chair and groaning when the phone rang. "Are you going to answer that?" she asked.

"No, it'll be someone who isn't more important. It'll probably be Gina actually, she'll want something from me like a chapter from the new book that I'm not writing at the moment" he declared, his mother rolling her eyes at his miserable tone before reaching across and bringing the phone to her ear instead to silence the ringing.

"Hello" she sighed, falling silent for a brief moment as Rick observed the smile disappear from her face. "No I'll be there in around ten minutes, thank you for calling" she explained before putting the phone down and standing up to grab her jacket. "I've got to go; do you want me to get you anything while I'm out? Anymore ice cream seeing that it's all you seem to eat at the moment?" she asked as he shook his head and looked at her.

"Where are you going mother?" he asked, watching as she approached the front door and turned to look at him.

"Nowhere that you need to worry about Richard, you just stay here and act like a depressed little girl after their first break up with your ice cream and your movies" she announced before smiling at him and leaving the apartment in silence.

XOOXOOXOOXOXX

Entering the busy building, Martha sighed as she walked towards the reception desk and stared at the dark haired woman who was sat behind it working.

"Can I help you?" the younger woman asked as the redhead nodded quickly.

"I'm looking for Katherine Beckett, a Doctor Phillips called me" she explained.

"Martha Rodgers?" a man asked behind her, forcing her to turn to see a man standing behind her. "I'm Doctor Phillips, Kate's doctor. Thank you for coming so quickly" he explained as Martha nodded and followed him down the corridor as he sighed. "Kate refused to contact her parents so you're the only other adult we could get her to give us the number for and she needs someone here" he explained, Martha nodding again as she looked around her at the people rushing around them.

"What's wrong with her?" Martha immediately asked when the doctor fell silent for a brief moment.

"She was found in an alley, she'd been drinking and she was practically unconscious when she was found. A local chef brought her into the hospital last night and her condition is starting to improve slightly" the doctor explained as they stopped walking by a private room. "I'll leave you two alone and I'll come and check on Kate's improvement when I've seen my other patients" he announced as Martha nodded and watched him walk away. Opening the door gently, the redhead sighed as she watched the brunette sleep in the middle of the bed; her dark hair pulled into a plait while wires remained around her, Rick's charm bracelet still around her wrist while the necklace hung from her neck with her mother's ring on it. Approaching the bed gently, Martha sighed as she sat on the edge and took Kate's hand in her own; hearing a small groan from the brunette at the feel of contact.

"It's okay Kate, I'm here" the redhead smiled as Kate slowly opened her eyes and looked at the older woman with tears in her eyes. "Just relax, I'm not going anywhere okay?" she explained, running her hand to the brunette's cheek as Kate smiled weakly. "Why did you do it Katie? You're a really clever girl, why would you drink so much you ended up in hospital? Why would you drink in the first place? You're not supposed to be drinking" she asked gently as Kate shut her eyes; ashamed of what she'd done.

"It works for dad, I thought…" she began as Martha sighed, finally working out what was going on with Jim Beckett. "I thought it would make the nightmares go away" she explained, tears filling her eyes as she remembered how much she'd hated the taste and yet continued to drink it. "I'm sorry" she whispered, Martha's head shaking as she squeezed the brunette's hand and smiled at her. "I didn't know who else to call, I didn't want dad here at the moment with everything that's going on" she explained.

"It's fine, I'm not going to leave you on your own to deal with this" Martha smiled as she watched the brunette. "Kate, I know you still love my son" she explained as Kate groaned and shut her eyes. Not ready to discuss this with the redhead! "From experience, if I wasn't still in love with the man I just ended a relationship with, I wouldn't be wearing the bracelet he bought me especially when in hospital" the redhead explained as Kate looked at the bracelet and smiled weakly while tears slowly ran down her cheeks. "He misses you Kate and I know you miss him".

"I didn't want to ruin their relationship, I'm sorry. You were right about me becoming in between them" Kate admitted, her voice almost silent as Martha shook her head and leant down to press a kiss to Kate's forehead. "I wanted to make everyone happy, I wanted to make Alexis happy, and she doesn't need this around her" the brunette whispered as Martha just watched her for a minute.

"What about you Kate? Are you happy?" Martha asked quickly as Kate shook her head and ran her hand to the ring around her neck. "I know you miss her darling but she wouldn't want you put yourself through all of this. She'd want you to be happy and I know you were with my son" she admitted as Kate attempted to sit up, groaning from the pain as Martha ran her hand to the brunette's shoulder and shook her head. "Relax, you need to get better" she whispered as Kate groaned once again and shut her eyes. "Try and sleep, I'm just going to make a phone call" she explained, moving to stand but stopping when Kate clung to her hand.

"Please don't go, I don't want to be alone right now" the brunette begged as Martha nodded slowly and sat herself down in a free chair; watching as the teenager shut her eyes and began to fall asleep while still holding onto her hand.

OXOXOXOXOOXOXOX

"Daddy where's grams?" Alexis asked as she joined her father on the couch that afternoon, the writer's head shaking as he looked across at the clock; finally noticing that his mother had been gone for around five hours.

"I don't know pumpkin, she probably met some friends and decided to go for dinner with them or something" he explained before standing and walking into the kitchen. "What do you fancy for dinner Alexis?" he asked, trying to think of something to keep himself occupied with.

"Not hungry" she explained before turning to look at her father. "Daddy where's Katie?" she asked as the writer sighed and walked over to her slowly. "I miss her daddy" she admitted, tears filling her eyes as Rick sat down and wrapped his arms around her.

"I miss her too baby, I miss her too" he whispered into her hair as Alexis cuddled up against him. "But sometimes adults need some time to think on their own especially when they're upset" he explained, not wanting to tell his daughter that everything was over between him and Kate. He knew his daughter adored the woman and he didn't want to have to deal with her becoming emotional as well. Hearing the phone ring, the writer quickly turned to look at it.

"Daddy, the phone's ringing" the redhead stated as Rick laughed and quickly pressed a kiss to her forehead before reaching across to take hold of the screaming object.

"Hello" he answered, waiting for a response.

**So what do you think? **


	34. Chapter 34

"She doesn't know that I called you Richard" Martha explained as she met her son outside the hospital and stared at an exhausted Alexis who was holding onto his hand while yawning. "She's still rather weak Richard and she's extremely upset about everything so be gentle with her and just tread lightly, don't go smashing into it like you usually do" the redhead smiled before kissing her sons cheek and taking her granddaughters hand from him. "Come on Alexis, why don't we get some pizza on the way home? I'm sure you're hungry" she smiled, Alexis nodding as she waved at her father and watched him disappear inside the building. Following his mother's directions, Rick sighed as he found himself stood outside the hotel room staring in through the window to see Kate fast asleep in the middle of the hospital bed. Opening the door slowly, Rick sighed as he entered the room and quickly approached the empty vase to place the roses he'd brought into it. Hearing a small groan, the writer sighed as he turned to see the brunette yawning before she stretched and quickly opened her eyes.

"Rick?" she whispered in confusion as he slowly sat down on the edge of the bed and took hold of her hand, pressing a kiss to her forehead as she smiled weakly. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for what I did" she mumbled, his head shaking as his free hand ran to her cheek and rested there for a moment to wipe away her tears.

"Don't worry about that right now okay" he smiled as she stared at him, taking in the fact that he was with her. "At the moment we're going to think about you and getting you better and then we're going to talk about your dad" he explained, her eyes shutting for a brief moment at the mention of her father. "Katie, my mom told me. She told me what's going with your dad and why you did this and especially how you got here" he explained as he looked up at the machine she was attached too. "I'm going to help you, I'm going to help both of you get through this" he promised before pressing another kiss to her forehead.

"You bought me flowers Rick" she mumbled, looking across at the red and pink roses he'd brought with him, her focus on changing the topic away from her father. "They're beautiful, I love roses" she whispered, smiling lightly as he shrugged and kept his focus completely on her. "No one's ever bought me flowers before actually, they're really beautiful Rick" the brunette admitted as he began to use his thumb to massage circles into the palm of her hand.

"Then I promise to keep you in flowers every single day if they make you smile like that again" he promised, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead as her hand slipped to his cheek. "Don't push me away again Katie, don't build that wall please" he begged, his eyes remaining shut as he rested his forehead against hers for a moment. Leaning up, the brunette slowly moved her lips to his forehead as the writer sighed and opened his eyes to see Kate watching him. "I'm not going to stop fighting for you Kate; I'm not going to stop fighting for us because this is right Kate" he explained as she found his hand and squeezed it gently.

"Even if I'm broken Rick?" she asked as he ran his hand to her cheek and shook his head.

"You're not broken Kate and we'll go slow again, work back to the way we were" he admitted before kissing her cheek gently. "When you get discharged I want you to come and stay with us, just until things start to calm down" the writer explained as she looked down, her mind rushing to her father again. "And I want to help your dad as well" he added, a small groan leaving her lips as she shut her eyes for a brief moment and felt him move closer to her body. "You look tired Kate, why don't you try and sleep? We'll talk about everything later when you're feeling a bit better" he asked quickly, Kate nodding slowly as she moved in the bed slightly.

"Will you hold me? I'm cold Rick, hospitals are really cold" she admitted, the writer nodding as he kicked off his shoes and climbed into the small bed with her; his arms wrapping around her slowly as she felt a small smile cover her face as the fact that he was holding her again.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

"Mother you brought Alexis with you?" Rick asked as he stared at his mother who was holding onto Alexis' hand. He'd left Kate alone for a moment so she could change after the doctor announced an hour ago that she could be released from the hospital and into his care. "I only asked you to get a car to come and get us, you didn't have to come with us and take Alexis out of bed this late" the writer explained as he lifted his daughter into his arms and felt her press a kiss to his cheek. Hearing the door open, Rick smiled as he turned to see Kate standing behind him in a pair of sweats and an old jumper that was too big for her; her dark hair pulled away from her face in a scruffy plait.

"Katie, it's really you" Alexis squealed, moving from her father's arms to run over and hugged the older woman who quickly ran her hand through the redhead's hair and sighed; realising just how much she'd missed the little girl. "I missed you Katie" she admitted.

"I missed you too Alexis, I missed you so much" Kate smiled, not lying about how much she'd miss the small girl. Kate adored Alexis; the redhead always made her laugh and brought a strange sort of comfort with her.

"That's why I brought Alexis with me" Martha explained, both of them watching as Kate lifted the child into her arms and smiled as the redhead's arms tightened around her neck before she buried her head into Kate's neck. "The moment I told her that you were with Kate, she wanted to see her. I couldn't get her to sleep after I told her you were bringing Kate home" his mother explained as Rick watched the brunette proudly as she quickly approached them with Alexis close to her.

"This one's tired, she's almost asleep actually" Kate whispered as Rick nodded and leant across to press a kiss into her hair. "Thank you for this, I don't want to face my dad right now" she mumbled, keeping the child close to her as they began to walk out of the hospital together.

"I still think we should call him Kate, let him know that you're okay" Martha admitted as she thought about her nervous she'd be if she didn't know where her only child; especially if their family was going through what Kate's was. "I'm sure he's worried about you Kate, he loves you".

"He won't have even noticed that I'm gone, he didn't even realise I was gone when I was at yours last week" Kate explained, hating herself for sounding rude about her father. She loved him! She'd been a daddy's girl as a child and she adored her father and hated that she sounded horrid towards him but she hated the person he was becoming. "I need to go home and get some clothes; I could get a cab to yours afterwards".

"I'll come with you, mother and Alexis can wait in the car while we get you some clothes and things that you need. There's no need for you to get a cab when we're going that way home" Rick explained as Kate sighed and shut her eyes for a moment. Unlocking the car, Rick watched as Kate helped an exhausted Alexis into the back of the vehicle before moving to sit down beside her; Rick shutting the door after her before moving to the front of the car.

Arriving at her apartment, Kate sighed as she quickly shut her eyes and waited until she felt the familiar comfort of the writer's hand on the small of her back. Digging into her pocket, Kate sighed as she unlocked the door and pushed it open to see an increase in the empty beer cans that littered the apartment floor since the last time she'd been home.

"Will you wait out here for me please?" Kate asked quickly as he raised his eyebrows. "I won't be long I promise" she explained, shutting the door slightly behind her so he wouldn't see what was going on.

"Katie, I know what's going on so stop it. I'm here for you Kate; you don't have to hide things anymore. We're in this together" he announced as she slowly nodded and opened the door to allow them both inside the dark apartment. "Do you want to pack a bag? I could clean up while you're getting ready" he explained as she slowly nodded and pressed a kiss to his cheek before moving away. Approaching the corridor, Kate turned to see the writer silently picking up the empty cans and throwing them into the trash before she quickly turned and knocked on her father's door. Slipping into the dark bedroom, she groaned as she tripped over a can and smashed into her mother's dressing table.

"What's going on?" Jim Beckett moaned from the bed as he hit the lamp and stared at his daughter. "What are you doing Kate?" he asked; his voice angry as she looked down quickly and shook her head, not knowing how to respond.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay dad" she declared, hating how awkward she felt around her own father. "I'm going to stay with Rick for a while dad" the brunette explained as her father shrugged and turned the light off again, tears running down her face as she stared at him for a moment in the darkness. "I love you daddy, I really love you" she mumbled before silently leaving the room and entering her own bedroom. Throwing some clothes into a bag, Kate felt the tears get worse as she turned to see a picture of her mother and father with her as baby that had been on her bedside table since she could remember.

"Katie…" Rick commented as he entered the bedroom to see her staring at the image of her parents. "Bring it with you, I want you to be comfortable" he smiled lightly, her head nodding as she picked the frame up and followed him out of the room. "Is your dad asleep?" he asked, noticing the silence that filled the apartment.

"You could say that" she sobbed before burying her head against his chest. "He didn't even ask where I've been Rick, he didn't even notice that I was gone. Rick my own dad didn't realise that I was missing" the brunette cried as he rested his hands on her back and kept her close to him as she continued to sob. "Can we go to your apartment now? I don't want to be here at the moment" the brunette asked, attempting to calm herself as she held the picture close to her chest.

XOOXOXXOOXO

"Are you going to tell me what happened with your dad earlier?" he asked as he sat in the corner of the couch with the brunette between his legs, his arms wrapped around her body as she rested into his chest. "I know you talked to him, I heard you crying while I was cleaning and I saw you leave your parents room before you went in your own" the writer explained as she groaned and shut her eyes, not wanting to cry again.

"I don't want to talk about it Rick, I just want to forget for a moment" she muttered. "It's nothing important; he just didn't seem to care about me" the brunette explained as she felt him gently press a kiss into her hair; her eyes shutting at the gentle touch. She'd missed him! The days of listening to her father vomit during the middle of the night or listening to him full over and swear made her hate him while she remained curled up in her bed trying to block out the noise. "Don't let me go Rick, don't let me run away from this" she begged, her eyes remaining shut as he tightened his grip of her.

"I'm not letting you run away again Katie, you have no idea how much weight I've gained through eating ice cream" he explained, Kate smiling at his comment before she turned her head to press a kiss to his cheek. "Let's get you to bed, you're tired" he muttered, the brunette nodding as they both stood up and walked down the corridor to his bedroom; stopping when they heard a creak on the stairs. Turning her head, Kate smiled at the sight of Alexis staring at them; her face tear stained as the brunette moved closer while Rick just watched.

"What's wrong Lex sweetheart?" Kate asked as she knelt down and felt Alexis' arms wrap around her neck.

"I had a nightmare Katie" the small girl mumbled as Kate stood up and held the redhead against her body. "I want to stay with you" she sobbed, Kate nodding as she began to carry Alexis towards Rick's bedroom; the writer watching her with a small smile on his face.

"Can she stay?" Kate asked as she looked at him and watched him nod before they entered his bedroom. "Are you going to tell me about your dream Lex? It'll make it go away if you tell me, I promise" the brunette asked as she sat down and kept her close for a brief moment before they both lied down and watched as Rick entered his en-suite with his pyjamas.

"You left and you never came back Katie, you just disappeared forever" the redhead sobbed, resting her head against Kate's chest as the brunette held her; hating the sound of the small girl crying.

"It's okay Alexis because I'm not going anywhere again, I was stupid the last time but I'm not leaving again. I was scared but I'm not anymore" the brunette explained, pressing a kiss to Alexis' forehead as she sighed and watched her for a brief moment. Hearing the door open, Kate smiled as Rick walked out of the en-suite and quickly turned the light off; his body slipping in behind hers as she kept an arm around an already asleep Alexis.

"You're tired and you've just been released from hospital, you need to get some sleep tonight" he informed her, kissing her lightly as she began to relax. "We're going to talk tomorrow about everything, sort out a plan of what we're going to do about you and your father" he explained, the brunette nodding gently before she shut her eyes and relaxed with the small girl in her arms.

"I'm just amazed that we're here again Rick, especially after how horrid I was when I ended it between us" she admitted, enjoying the fact that she had the writer holding her on one side of body while she kept her own arms around the sleeping child.

"Well neither of us wanted it to end originally, we just made a mistake" the writer relaxed, watching as Kate kept her close. "And we're not going to make the same mistake again because you're not going to give up on us and I'm not going to let you go, we're going to fight for this relationship" he smiled, enjoying the warmth of her body against his for the first time that week.

**Once again thank you for your amazing response, it honestly warms my heart knowing that there are so many of you out there who are enjoying my work and take the time to comment. I hope you're happy that Rick and Kate are back together again, I didn't have the heart to drag out their separation and I want him to be there to support her through this. So thank you and please continue to review, I love hearing from you. **


	35. Chapter 35

**Thank you once again for your amazing responses; I really do appreciate every single one. This chapter is another short one but the next chapter is longer and follows on directly from this; I just have a lot of work to finish so I thought I'd give you something to read. **

Hearing the door open and quickly shut, Rick sighed as he opened his eyes to find the room still dark and Alexis fast asleep on the other side of the bed while the space Kate had been sleeping in was completely empty. Turning around, the writer groaned at the sight of the clock which informed it that it was only two o'clock in the morning before he quickly climbed out of the warmth and walked out of the room; desperately trying not to disturb his sleeping daughter. Noticing the light flowing from under his office door, Rick sighed as he approached it silently and pushed the door open to see Kate lying on the small couch by the window with a blanket thrown over her body while she read one of his books.

"My bed is a lot comfier than the couch Kate, I just thought I should mention that" he commented, her head turning to see him watching her as a small smile covered her face. "Want to talk about it?" he asked, her head shaking quickly as she put the book down slowly and sighed; her fingers running through her hair as he continued to watch her. "It might help?"

"I couldn't sleep, that's all and I didn't want to disturb Alexis" Kate admitted as the writer nodded and disappeared out of the room again without a word, confusing her slightly. "Rick?" she asked; her voice still almost silent as she continued to stare out of the open door into the darkness, attempting to see where he'd gone. Hearing footsteps, the brunette smiled weakly as he walked back into the room with a collection of blankets and pillows; a laugh leaving her lips as he fell over and landed on the floor. "At least it was a soft landing" she smiled.

"Can you go and get some drinks please?" he asked quickly, Kate nodding as she slowly left the room and approached the kitchen. Quickly grabbing two cans of coke, she sighed as she walked towards his office again and sighed. Pushing the door open, the brunette's mouth opened in shock at the sight of the makeshift bed in the middle of the floor and the lit candles that were covering the surfaces. "Surprise" he laughed, a small smile creeping onto her face as she took in the sight around her.

"What's this?" she asked, shocked at how fast he'd managed to practically change the room.

"I wanted to do something special and try and make you smile again Kate, I want to make you happy even if it is for a couple of hours" he explained, noticing the small smile that continued to appear on her face when she looked around to take everything in. "Come on, we're going to snuggle" he announced, her head nodding before she joined him on the floor and stared at him for a brief moment. Running her hands to his shoulders, she sighed as she moved slightly closer and bit into her bottom lip. "We don't have to do this" he whispered.

"I want to" she mumbled, leaning forward before she moved to kiss him gently. Pressing her lips to his, she moaned against his lips as his hands moved to rest against her back. "Why would you do all this for me?" she asked gently when she moved away from him to look around her at everything before they both lay down and she relaxed with his arms around her. "No one's ever done anything like this for me and especially not after I've been such a bitch".

"You've not been a bitch Kate, you're grieving for your mom and everything you've done recently is understandable. I don't blame you for anything you've done" he explained, kissing her hair gently as she relaxed against him and shut her eyes. "I love you so much and I'll do whatever it takes to support you through this" the writer admitted, feeling her move against him to bury her head against his chest. "I want to make you happy Kate, that's all I care about right now" he explained as she sighed and quickly shut her eyes. "Now try and sleep" he ordered; his voice still gentle as he ran his hand gently up and down her back while she slowly began to fall asleep.

XOXOXOXXOXOXO

Opening her eyes, Kate groaned as she found the light filling the room through the window; her hand reaching across to the find that the space beside her was completely empty. Looking up, she noticed the mug of coffee and bear claw on the table along with a small paper note. Sitting up, she took the note into her hand and noticed the writer's handwriting that was scribbled across it.

_Got you breakfast, so eat it; I don't want you to get hungry while I'm gone! I had to go out to take Alexis to school and mother has an audition today so you'll be on your own for a while. I'll be home in a couple of hours; I have to see someone on the way home anyway, I've been putting it off for too long! Have a bath Kate, relax, read a book and I'll see you when I get home. Rick x _

Putting the note down, she smiled as she quickly took the mug and smiled at the fact that it was still warm before taking a sip and laughing. It was her perfect coffee and she knew only two people who could make it; one of them being herself and the other person being the writer who'd prepared the one she was currently holding. Taking a bite out of the bear claw, she sighed as she enjoyed the comfort she felt from it before relaxing back against the couch before grabbed the book she'd taken yesterday evening. If she was going to be alone for a couple of hours she was going to read the books of his that were still new to her.

XOXOOXOXXOO

Approaching the grave he'd been searching for, Rick sighed as he noticed the man who was standing in front of it with a bouquet of flowers in front of him; Jim Beckett's back to him as the writer stopped walking.

"I tried the apartment but you weren't there, I guessed this is where you'd go" Rick declared, surprising the older man who quickly turned around to face him. "Sorry, I know you want to be alone with her for a moment but we need to talk Mr Beckett, it's urgent" he explained as Jim shrugged and quickly placed the flowers beside his wife's grave; smiling sadly at the words engraved in the stone. "It's about Kate Jim".

"What about her?" Jim asked, his hands shaking as he wrapped his arms around his chest and stared at the writer who stood nervously in front of him. "Is she okay? Nothing's happened has it? I only saw her last night and she seemed fine" he whispered, his face becoming pale at the thought of something bad happening to his daughter. He knew he'd been wrong the previous evening when Kate had come into his room and he'd regretted the way he'd talked to her the moment he'd returned to the apartment.

"She got released from hospital Jim last night" he explained, shock covering the older man's face as Rick sighed. "She was found in an alley unconscious from alcohol poisoning" he announced, Jim's eyes shutting for a brief moment before he turned to look at his wife's grave; thinking of how everything was falling apart. "We know what's going on Jim, we found out after everything happened with Kate. She didn't even tell us, we worked it out for ourselves" the writer declared, Jim's eyes shutting in shame as he thought about the drink that was filling their apartment. "And I want to help you Jim".

"I don't need your help Richard, it's none of you business" Jim commented as Rick sighed.

"Jim this isn't just about you" Rick declared, determined not to give up on the older man. "This is about your daughter, this is about Kate" he explained, thinking about the woman who he'd left curled up fast asleep on his office floor. "This is about your little girl who is so lost right now and just wants her father. Are you really going to deny her that because of your stupid pride?"

**So what do you think? **


	36. Chapter 36

"Kate where are you?" the writer asked as he slipped into his apartment, the older man following him as Rick looked around to find complete silence. He knew his mother and daughter were out for the day but he'd expected to find Kate curled up on the couch with a book or watching the television after having a bath. "Kate?" he asked again, his voice slightly louder as he continued to look around to find nothing showing life. Turning to look at the older man, Rick smiled weakly as he removed his jacket. "I'm just going to look and see if she's in my office" he explained, knowing that was where she'd escaped that morning, as Jim quickly nodded his head. "Sit down, I'll be back in a minute" he smiled.

"Just go Rick" Jim laughed weakly, smiling at how much the man obviously cared about his daughter. Walking down the corridor, the writer sighed as he quickly pushed the door open and laughed at the sight of Kate fast asleep on there make shift bed on the floor; her hair damp while she was dressed in a pair of sweats and one of his shirts.

"Kate" he smiled, shutting the door gently behind him as she groaned and began to open her eyes; her focus falling on him as he continued to watch her. "Hey sleepy head, you have a visitor outside" he admitted, a groan leaving her lips as she buried her face into the pillow. "Come on, I know you're not that tired" he laughed, moving over to kneel beside her as she continued to keep her face hidden. "Kate" he moaned, leaning across to find where his shirt had slipped down to reveal the bare skin of her shoulders. Pressing his lips against her skin, he found himself smirking when she groaned at the contact and quickly turned so she was facing him. "Hey stranger" he smiled.

"Hey" she whispered, sitting up quickly. "You don't mind that I stole one of your shirts, I wasn't comfy in mine" the brunette admitted as the writer shrugged and wrapped his arms around her; bringing her onto his lap. "You said I had a visitor" she whispered gently against him as he groaned and nodded; the two of them standing as he laced his fingers with her and began to lead her out of the room. Entering the living room, Rick sighed as he felt Kate's grip of his hand tighten at the sight of her father. "Dad" she said in shock, the older man standing at the sound of his daughter's voice. "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk" he explained, the brunette letting go of Rick's hand as she stared at him. "Kate, I know what's going on. I know about the hospital" Jim admitted as Rick turned to see Kate glaring at him in shock.

"You told him" Kate announced. "Why would you do that?" she asked, moving away from him as Rick opened his mouth to speak. "I trusted you" she admitted, tears running down her cheeks as she moved to walk down the corridor towards Rick's bedroom. Hearing the door slam moments later, Rick sighed as he turned to see Jim standing in silence. Watching as Jim nodded, Rick smiled weakly before he walked towards his bedroom and opened the door to see Kate throwing her clothes into her bag; the shirt she'd been wearing thrown across the bed as she searched for her own t-shirt.

"Can we talk about his before you run off?" he asked as she remained silent and pulled her t-shirt on before turning to look at him.

"What's there to talk about?" she replied, her tone angry as he shut his eyes and groaned. "I trusted you and you went to talk to my dad without me. You didn't even tell me you were going to do it Rick, I thought we were going to have no more secrets" the brunette admitted as he opened his mouth to speak but shutting it when she shook her head. "You went behind my back Rick; you talked to my father when I didn't want you too".

"You always knew that I wanted to help you Kate" he explained, moving closer to her as she bit into her lip. "And helping means talking to your dad about what's going on right now. Maybe if you took the time to listen to us you'd learn that I've managed to persuade your dad to talk to someone about this and get help" the writer admitted, shock covering her face as she observed him. "When I told him that you'd been taken into hospital because of drinking, he was devastated. He loves you Kate and it's killing him to know that he had some part in you being hospitalised".

"Rick" she whispered in shock.

"Maybe you should go and talk to your dad" the writer announced, watching as she moved closer to him. "He needs to talk to you Kate" he whispered, her head shaking as she ran her hands to his cheeks; knowing she'd hurt him with how she'd acted earlier. "Go and talk to your dad".

"What's wrong with me Rick?" she asked, tears filling his eyes as he smiled weakly and wrapped his arms around her. "I've never felt like this before, I've never felt this useless" she sobbed, burying her head into his chest as he held her close to him.

"It's okay Kate, everything's okay" he whispered, pressing his lips into her hair gently before moving away. "Go and talk to your dad, we'll talk in a minute" he promised, her head nodding slowly as she moved away before turning to look at him again.

"We're going to be okay Rick?" she asked as his head nodded slowly.

"We're going to be fine Kate, we've just got to keep fighting" he whispered, her head nodding as she walked out of the room and approached her father who was sitting patiently on the couch in silence.

"Hey daddy" she mumbled, sitting down beside him as Jim smiled weakly and reached for her hand; the brunette's eyes shutting as she felt him take hold of her hand. "I'm sorry daddy, I'm so sorry" the brunette sobbed as her father's arms wrapped around her tightly; Kate's head burying against him as she felt the tears role down her cheeks.

"I'm going to get help Katie I promise" he declared as he stared down at his daughter. "I'm not going to lose you Kate, I'm not going to lose my little girl" he whispered before pressing a kiss into her hair. "I hate myself for not being there for you" he admitted as Kate looked up to stare at him. "You're my little girl, when you were sick we used to watch movies together and when you broke your arm as a kid your mother and I spent hours doodling on your cast" Jim laughed as Kate remembered the drawings she'd ended up with after she'd broken her arm. "I've been there for every illness and hospital trip and I hate myself for not being there to support you when you needed me".

"It's my fault daddy" she admitted, tears filling her eyes as he shook his head. "I was so scared that you'd be angry that I did what I did and then I didn't want you there because I didn't want to burden you with my problems; especially after everything with mom" the brunette explained as she continued to rest against him. Hearing the door open quickly, Kate turned to see Rick standing behind her in silence.

"I need to get some food, I'll be back in an hour or two" he explained, Kate nodding as she stood up and moved towards him.

"Rick" she whispered.

"We'll talk later" he declared, smiling weakly before he left the apartment.

"Daddy, I've really screwed up" the brunette admitted as she turned to look at her father. "I can't lose him daddy" she explained as Jim smiled and patted the space on the couch next to him. "I love him so much dad but everything keeps going wrong now. One day he'll just decide that I'm too damaged and he doesn't want to deal with me and will go back to models or someone like he's been with in the past" she blurted out as Jim laughed gently at his daughter's nerves.

"When your mother and I were dating we had a fight" Jim explained. "It was over something stupid, the fact that I wasn't apparently very present in the relationship, and we weren't even angry with each other, we were just upset because we thought things were falling apart around us" he admitted, surprising his daughter with the newest story. "So I called your mother and told her that we needed to talk and when she'd arrived at the apartment I'd made her dinner and we curled up on the couch and watched movies" he smiled, remembering Johanna's shock when she'd arrived to find a homemade dinner being prepared.

"And what happened after that?" she asked quickly.

"Well we did end up married with a beautiful little girl Kate so something must have gone right that evening" he laughed, Kate smiling as she looked down at her father's wedding ring. "If you want him Kate then you fight for him" the man explained before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Rick's signing me up to a programme which starts next week so I have to go and discuss getting time off work" he explained, Kate nodding slowly as he stood up. "Your mother would want you to be happy Kate" he admitted, approaching the door as the brunette remained silent in her seat on the couch.

XOXOXOXOXO

Opening the apartment door, Rick sighed as he looked up from his shopping to see almost all of the lights off except for a lamp by the couch; confusion covering his face as he kicked the door shut and looked across to see Kate standing in front of him in her sweats and t-shirt. She looked nervous and he couldn't help but love the shy look that was covering her face.

"What's going on?" he asked, Kate's head shaking as she walked over to him and took hold of his hand in silence. "Kate what's going on?" he laughed, following her as she led him towards her bedroom; silence filling the room as she quickly shut the door and stared at him. "Kate, will you please talk to me?"

"I wanted to do something special for you so I dug out your Star Wars movies and got us food for the evening. The pizza should be here soon" she admitted, smiling weakly as he ran his hand to her cheek in amazement. "There's something I need to tell you first though" she smiled, Rick nodding as he sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at her; watching as she paced nervously for a few moments.

"Kate?" Rick whispered, watching as she shook her head and stared at him for a moment.

"I love you Rick, I love you so much" she admitted, tears running down her cheeks as he continued to watch her in amazement. "I've always been stubborn and I struggle to believe in certain things; fate, Santa Claus…" she began.

"You don't believe in Santa" he commented, Kate laughing as she nodded. "When did you stop?" he asked as Kate sighed.

"Three years old, I realised that it was impossible for Santa to come into my apartment because we didn't have a chimney" she admitted, Rick nodding as she sat down beside him. "But one thing I know is true is the fact that I love you and I want this relationship to work more than I've wanted anything in my life" she smiled as his hand moved to take hers. "I may be damaged and it'll take me a while to trust people fully but I'm not going to let this go" she sighed, leaning in to kiss his cheek gently. "And I'm not ready to be where we were before my mom…" she began before falling silent.

"Kate this isn't just about sex, this is a serious relationship. I think it's my most serious relationship actually" he declared quickly as she listened to him, taking in everything he was saying. "Honestly, I'm just happy cuddling with you watching my Star Wars collection so why don't we relax, watch our movies and cuddle throughout it" he laughed, Kate nodding slowly as she hugged him.

"Thank you for what you're doing for my dad, I don't know whether I could have coped with his drinking on my own" she whispered, knowing this was the only time she could mention it that evening. "And I'm sorry that I got angry earlier, I know I came across as ungrateful but I'm not. It means a lot to me that you want to help us".

"Kate, it's in the past. It doesn't matter anymore" he smiled, starting the movie before he leant back and relaxed against the headboard of the bed. "Your dad is going to get through this and so are we so let's just enjoy tonight because honestly I'm rather excited to have a woman with me who wants to watch Star Wars without being forced".

"What do you mean? Star Wars is awesome, how could anyone not like it?" she declared, shocking him slightly before he laughed and wrapped his arms tighter around her.

"Katherine Beckett you just get better everyday" he laughed, pressing a kiss into her cherry scented hair before relaxing back to enjoy the movies with her.

**Just to state, I am a major Star Wars fan so I had to put it in here! **

**Thank you for your wonderful reviews to previous chapters, I love hearing from you and every comment has been so lovely. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter although I don't feel like it was the best and I hope to hear all your opinions; it makes my day when I get reviews and also it does make me review faster. **


	37. Chapter 37

"How many balloons are you making Rick?" Kate asked as she sat on the couch and watched as Rick tied another balloon and threw it towards the pile of at least eighty multi-coloured balloons. Laughing, Kate smiled as she thought about the fact that the apartment would be filled with ten giggling five and six year olds later that day for Alexis' birthday party.

"She loves balloons so I'm giving my little girl balloons. I know that deep down you love balloons as well Katherine Beckett so leave me to enjoy preparing for my little girl's birthday party" he smiled quickly before standing and moving towards the kitchen to sort out the cake. Both of them had woken up early that morning to get everything ready before Alexis woke up and they knew the redhead was excited about turning six. "Want to help me ice the cake?" he asked, Kate nodding as she jumped off the couch and ran over to join him as he laughed at her excitement. "You're adorable when you're like this" he commented, her eyes rolling as she began to help him ice the cake.

"She's being spoilt today" Kate admitted as the writer shrugged and looked down at the cake. "She's lucky to have you as a father Rick, you put one hundred and twenty per cent into everything you do for her" the brunette explained before she leant across and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Hearing movement on the stairs, the couple smiled as they watched Alexis walk down the stairs in her pyjamas; still yawning as she attempted to stay awake. "Happy birthday Alexis" Kate smiled, running over quickly to wrap her arms around the small girl who started to squeal in excitement.

"Happy birthday pumpkin, you're a big girl now. I can't quite believe that you're six years old Alexis, I'm starting to feel old" the writer laughed, lifting Alexis into his arms before he began to press kisses to her cheek; the redhead groaning as Kate continued to smile at them before more footsteps were heard.

"I didn't miss the present opening did I?" Martha asked quickly as she approached the group and pressed a kiss to her granddaughter's cheek. "Richard, you've gone a bit crazy with the balloons this year, are we opening a balloon shop or something?" she asked sarcastically, the brunette's eyebrows rising as Rick just shook his head and stared at his daughter.

"So birthday girl, what do you want for your special birthday breakfast?" Rick asked as Alexis began to think, Kate and Martha as they observed the redhead's facial expressions.

"Pancakes" the small girl giggled as Rick nodded and put her back down. "Pancakes daddy, I want pancakes" she announced as Rick returned to the kitchen before Alexis' arms wrapped around her Kate's legs. "It's my birthday Katie" she smiled up at the brunette who nodded quickly and moved to kneel beside the six year old.

"I know, you're a big girl now Lex" Kate laughed before she leant across and pressed a kiss to Alexis' forehead before hugging her. "What do you think of all the balloons sweetheart? Your daddy has been blowing them up all morning" the brunette commented as Alexis turned to see the large amount of coloured balloons that were covering the floor.

"Wow daddy" Alexis smiled as Rick laughed and watched the grin grow on his daughter's face. "Hurry daddy, I want my presents" the redhead explained, all the adults laughing at her impatience.

"Why don't we get Kate and gram to go and get all your presents and you can open them while I cook pancakes?" he suggested, the brunette nodding as she stood up and walked towards Rick's office with Martha to bring the collection of gifts into the living room.

"She's so excited that you're coming to her party Kate, she's told everyone at school that Katie's going to be at her birthday party" Martha admitted as she lifted two of the gifts into her arms; her focus on the brunette who collected the remainder of the gifts.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world Martha, she so excited about it. It's all I've heard about this week" Kate smiled, the sound of Rick and Alexis laughing making her smile grow as Martha continued to watch her.

"How was your dad when you last spoke to him?" Martha asked quickly as Kate smiled weakly and sighed; trying to think of a way to respond to the question.

"He was okay, he left yesterday for that place Rick's signed him up for" Kate admitted, remembering how ill her father had sounded when he was on the phone. "He'll call me when he gets the first opportunity, I just really hope it works" the brunette smiled before leaving the office to see Alexis sat on the kitchen side while watching her father cook.

"Presents" Alexis squealed as Rick watched his mother and girlfriend approach them before placing the presents next to the smiling redhead.

"Open mine first, mine's the best one" Rick laughed as he watched the three women while attempting to focus on the pancakes as well. Passing Alexis Rick's present, Kate smiled as the redhead carefully removed the ribbon and gently tore the paper away from the box before removing the lid. "This is one of your presents, they're the only copies in the whole world" he explained as Alexis lifted the books out of the box.

"Daddy?" Alexis asked as Kate stared down at the books Alexis was holding. They weren't books she'd seen before and she couldn't help but laugh at the handwritten illustrations that were the front covers.

"You can't read my books sweetheart because they're for adults but I thought, why not write special books for my special girl?" he explained as she wrapped her arms around her father's neck in excitement. "Hopefully you like them pumpkin" he admitted, Alexis nodding as she carefully placed her father's books into the box and smiled back up at him.

"Thank you daddy" she laughed, Kate nodding as she took the box from the redhead and rested it on another surface. "Next one please" the redhead smiled, swinging her legs as Martha rolled her eyes and passed the small girl her father's second present. Going through the gentle unwrapping again, Alexis smiled as she stared at the movies her father had brought her. "Wow daddy, thank you" she squealed, placing the movies back onto the side before she hugged her father again.

"I'm glad you like them pumpkin" he smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead before he returned to cooking her breakfast. "Breakfast is almost ready so you might want to open your presents quickly Alexis" he explained, the redhead nodding as she took hold of the gift her grandmother was giving her.

"Thank you daddy" Alexis smiled, removing the wrapping paper again before she lifted out the dresses that were carefully folded in another box. "Thank you grams" the redhead admitted, the older woman shrugging before Kate bit into her lip and held out her own gift; slightly ashamed at how bad hers seemed in comparison to the other gifts Alexis had received that morning. "Thank you Katie" she smiled, taking the gift from her before unwrapping it again.

"It's not very good" Kate shrugged as she watched Alexis remove the lid from the small box and gently lift the locket out from the deep red cushion. Watching Martha help the small girl open the present; Kate relaxed as Alexis stared at the image of her father holding her as a baby with the largest smile on his face.

"Thank you Katie, I love it. It's so pretty" the redhead giggled before she wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck and buried her head into Kate's neck. "Put it on please?" she asked, Kate nodding as she quickly took the necklace from Alexis' hands and placed it around her neck.

"Right, breakfast time birthday girl" Rick declared, carrying the plates towards the tables before the rest of them joined him. "The locket is beautiful" he whispered to Kate when she joined him, the brunette nodding as she watched Alexis' fingers play with the necklace for a few moments before she began to eat. "You did good Kate" he muttered into Kate's hair before pressing a kiss to her forehead and pulling a seat out for her.

"Birthday girl you're already covered in syrup" Kate laughed, Alexis shrugging as she continued to eat the meal Rick had prepared.

XOXOXOXOXXOXOO

"I don't think this is a suitable outfit for a children's party Katherine, however sexy you look right now" Rick commented as he entered his bedroom to see Kate standing in her underwear as she reached up for the dress that was hanging on the wardrobe door. Laughing at his comment, the brunette relaxed as she quickly removed the dress and stepped into it before smiling. "They're going to be here in fifteen minutes" he admitted, removing his flour covered shirt before approaching the wardrobe as Kate turned to look at him.

"What do you think?" she asked quickly, turning on the spot to give him a complete view of her outfit.

"You look beautiful Kate but you always do" he admitted, leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead gently before moving to pull a new shirt out. Redressing himself, the writer sighed as he wrapped his arms around the brunette and stared at her for a brief moment before she leant up and quickly pressed a kiss to his cheek. Hearing a knock at the front door, they both laughed as they heard Alexis squeal in excitement.

"Daddy hurry" the young redhead screamed as Rick nodded quickly in amusement; still staring at Kate.

"Bring on the chaos of a house full of screaming girls" he commented, the brunette laughing as she took hold of his hand and allowed him to lead her out of the bedroom to see Alexis standing with a dark haired girl while Martha opened the door again to allow more children into the apartment. Once all the children arrived, Rick smiled as he watched the group of girls drawing on the balloons with the collection of glitter and paint he'd bought earlier that day. "My house is going to be a glitter palace when they all leave tonight" he announced as Kate laughed and nodded, smiling when his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Katie, come draw with us" Alexis declared, looking across to look at the couple as she continued to smile. Nodding quickly, Kate laughed as she slid her shoes off and moved to kneel with the group of girls who welcomed her quickly and passed her some paint; the smile growing on Rick's face as he watched Alexis move closer to Kate. "This is Katie" the redhead told everyone who nodded. "She's my daddy's girlfriend" she said proudly, everyone nodding again as Kate laughed and hugged the younger girl before sighing.

"Come on trouble, everyone else has drawn more than you" Kate laughed, Alexis' focus immediately returning back to her picture.

XXOOXXOOXXOO

"Kate you've got a phone call" Rick smiled as he stared at the brunette who immediately climbed off the couch where she was cuddled with Alexis and the rest of her friends watching movies. Approaching him, she stared at him in confusion as he passed her the phone and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead before moving towards the kitchen to sort out dinner for everyone. Staring down at the phone for a moment, Kate sighed as she pressed it to her ear and relaxed.

"Hello" she said down the phone simply, wondering who knew she would be at Rick's loft rather than her own home.

"Hey Katie" the familiar voice of her father announced as her smile grew. "I thought I should call and check that everything was okay" he explained, Kate nodding as she relaxed back against the wall. "So how are you Katie?" Jim Beckett asked.

"I'm good, it's Alexis' birthday so she's having a party and they're currently watching Disney movies in the living room while Rick's making pizza" she admitted as she heard her father murmur in acknowledgment. "The whole floor is covered in glitter and paint right now so we're going to have to scrub it later but it should be alright. Alexis is surprisingly tidy for a six year old" Kate laughed as Rick groaned from the kitchen at her comment about scrubbing the floors later. "So what's it like where you are?" she asked quickly.

"It's nice here, I've met some people that are okay and I've met a man who's going to be my sponsor through this" he declared, Kate nodding as she took in everything her father was saying. "I'm determined to do this Kate, I'm not going to that place again" he admitted, Kate smiling weakly as she felt tears appear in her eyes. Noticing the tears in Kate's eyes, Rick quickly walked over to her before wrapping his arms around her. "Katie?" the older man asked.

"I'm still here daddy" she admitted before sighing. "I just can't believe that you're so positive about this. I thought I was going to have to fight to get you to talk to someone and there you are, doing this for me" she explained, tears silently running down her cheeks as Rick smiled at her. Pressing a kiss into her dark hair, the writer smiled as he kept her close for a moment; knowing she needed him at that particular moment. "I love you dad" she admitted, surprising the older man who laughed at his daughter's comment.

"I love you too Katie" Jim smiled. "I'll see you in a couple of weeks, tell Alexis I say happy birthday" he declared, the brunette nodding as she sighed. "Look, I've got to go but I'll call you as soon when I get the chance" he explained.

"Bye dad, I'll see you soon" she commented, listening to her father say goodbye before he put the phone down. Looking up at the writer, Kate smiled as she felt his arms tighten around her for a brief moment. "He sounds determined about this Rick".

"He wants to do this Kate, he wants to do this for you" he explained, his lips pressing to her forehead as she relaxed against him. "I better go and check on pizza, can't serve our birthday girl and her friends burnt food can I?" he laughed as Kate shook her head and watched him walk back towards the kitchen.

"Katie" Alexis squealed, turning her body quickly to see the brunette standing alone. "Katie come and watch" she laughed, Kate nodding quickly as she walked over and took her original seat; smiling when Alexis' arms wrapped around her. "Love you Katie" the redhead whispered as Kate smiled weakly and nodded.

"I love you too" Kate smiled before their focus returned to the movie.

XOOXOXOXOXXOOO

"So did you have a good birthday?" Rick asked as he sat beside Alexis' bed, the redhead quickly nodding as she beamed at her father. "You've been spoilt today Miss Castle, did you know that?" he smiled, the redhead nodding as she looked towards the door to see darkness outside. "What's wrong pumpkin?" he asked, immediately noticing the nervous look that was covering Alexis' face.

"Where's Katie?" she questioned, still looking towards the door as Rick smiled.

"She's downstairs pumpkin, she's getting ready for bed" he explained, the redhead nodding slowly before she slipped out of bed. "Where are you going? It's bedtime now" he declared, his daughter quickly running out of the room as he sighed and stood up, knowing exactly where she was going. Running downstairs, Alexis smiled as she approached her father's room; her fist immediately knocking on the door.

"Rick why are you knocking? It's your room you can just come in" Kate laughed as Alexis pushed the door open and stared at Kate who was dressed in just one of Rick's shirt that stopped mid-thigh. "Alexis" Kate declared in shock, knowing the shirt was shorter than she wanted to wear when she was around her boyfriend's daughter. "What are you doing down here sweetheart? You're supposed to be in bed" she smiled as Alexis moved towards Kate and hugged her. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"You didn't come and say goodnight Katie, you always come and say goodnight" Alexis admitted as Kate sat down at the edge of the bed and watched the redhead sit down beside her. Wrapping her arms around the small girl, Kate smiled as she kept her arms tightly around the small girl for a moment.

"I was just going to come up in a minute Alexis, I promise" Kate admitted gently, pressing a kiss into her red hair as she felt the child relax against her. "Go on up to bed and I'll be there in second to come and say goodnight" she explained, Alexis nodding as she jumped off the bed and quickly ran out of the room. Grabbing a pair of sweats, Kate quickly pulled them on before she moved out of the room and up the stairs to find the only light on was in Alexis' room. Pushing the door open, Kate smiled at the sight of Alexis sat in bed while Rick read to her one of the books he'd written especially for her birthday.

"Hey stranger" Rick smiled as Kate sat on the edge of the bed and leant forward to press a kiss to Alexis' forehead. "I'm going to go to bed, night birthday girl" he laughed, pressing a kiss to his daughter's cheek before he stood up. "I love you pumpkin".

"Love you too daddy" Alexis whispered, watching as he walked out of the room before she looked across to see Kate watching her. "Love you Katie" the redhead smiled as Kate nodded and quickly moved closer as Alexis lay down in bed.

"You know you have to remove your locket when you go to sleep Lex, it'll hurt your neck when you wake up if you don't take it off" Kate laughed, noticing the chain around the small girl's neck. Nodding quickly, Alexis moved to let Kate remove the necklace before the brunette rested it on the bedside table. "You better get some sleep, you've had a really long day" Kate explained, noticing that Alexis yawned at that very moment. Standing quickly, Kate looked down to find Alexis still watching her. Laughing as she realised what Alexis wanted, the brunette smiled as she leant down and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Goodnight Alexis" she declared.

"Night night Katie" the six year old smiled before relaxing in the bed and shutting her eyes. Leaving the bedroom quietly, Kate smiled as she found Rick standing beside the door with a dopey smile on his face.

"What?" Kate asked.

"You're an amazing woman Katherine Beckett" he laughed, wrapping an arm around her hips as they walked down the stairs together in silence. "She adores you Kate, I've never seen her as clingy as she has been with you recently".

"She still thinks I'm going to disappear, she wants to me to be there when she falls asleep and I know she comes looking for me when she wakes up in the morning" Kate admitted, hating herself for making the young girl feel like that.

"Stop worrying about it Kate, she's just scared because she loves you and because of the history she had with Alexis" Rick whispered, pressing a kiss to her cheek before they approached his bedroom together. "We've become extremely domestic Kate, have you noticed that?" he laughed as he watched Kate climb into the side of the bed that had become hers.

"I actually kind of like it, it's nice to have some sort of structure in life; especially at the moment" Kate admitted, a blush beginning to cover her face as she climbed under the covers and buried her face into the pillow while Rick joined her in the bed. "Today was wonderful, I've never seen her smile as much as she did today" she laughed, turning her body quickly so her head was resting against his chest.

"It's late, let's get some sleep" he smiled, the brunette nodding as she heard him turn the light off before the room fell dark and his arms wrapped around her. "I love you Katie" he whispered, pressing a kiss into her hair as she murmured in agreement and sighed. She could do this! She could maybe begin to move on if this was what she came home too!

**People wanted more Alexis, so I gave you more Alexis. What do you think? I'm starting to worry because reviews are starting to go down so I was wondering what's changed that you dislike. Please review, I really do love hearing from you and it means so much to me to know all your thoughts on my work. Also, any ideas you have are greatly appreciated. **

**Also I don't know when I'm going to next be able to update because I'm behind so much on work and I get my psychology exam results tomorrow so everything is becoming a nightmare! So I'll see you with the next chapter!**


	38. Chapter 38

"Damn" she moaned as the nail polish not only went all over her nail but her finger as well. "Damn it" she hissed, gaining the attention of the writer who approached her slowly and noticed the deep purple colour that was covering her skin. "I can't even do my own nails" she commented, his head shaking as he sat down on the couch beside her and reached across for a tissue; slowly removing the liquid before it dried onto her skin.

"Give it here" he laughed, confusion covering her face before she realised he wanted the nail polish. Passing it to him slowly, Kate watched as he took hold of her hand and slowly began to paint each nail; surprising her with how perfect he did each one. "My mother made me do it when I was younger, I just seem to have a talent for painting nails now" he laughed, Kate smiling at his confession before she looked down at his hands again; watching as one held her hand while the other one carefully painted.

"They look better than I've ever done them" she admitted once he was finished, the writer shrugging before she leant forward and gently kissed his cheek again. "Thank you" she whispered, the writer nodding quickly as she moved to sit on his lap; surprising them both with how close they were. Although they both slept in the same bed, there had been a larger amount of distance between them since before Johanna died and the one thing he missed more than anything was the comfort of her lips on his even for a brief moment. "Rick, can we go somewhere?" she asked.

"Like where?" he replied gently, his fingers playing with her hair as she shrugged.

"I don't know Rick, I just really want to get out of the apartment for a while" she admitted, beginning to feel sick of the four walls around her. "We could go the museum, I know you love the dinosaurs" she commented, the writer laughing as he quickly nodded and nudged her; the brunette rolling her eyes before she stood up and felt his arms sneak around her waist. "Come on, I'm beginning to get claustrophobic" she laughed, taking his hand as they walked out of the apartment together.

XOXOOXOXOXOX

Walking around the museum, Kate sighed as she stared down at the fingers that were laced with Rick's while the writer led her around the building; occasionally speaking about certain exhibitions. She'd always loved the museum but seeing Rick's enthusiasm for everything made her love it more than she could imagine. Feeling him bring her closer, Kate smiled as Rick's arm wrapped around her before she rested into his side.

"This was a good idea Kate" he admitted, Kate nodding quickly as they stopped and she quickly leant up to press a kiss to his cheek. "I haven't been here in years, not since Alexis was tiny and determined that the dinosaurs weren't as big I was making them out to be. She actually believed at one point that I'd made them up" he laughed, walking towards the stairs as Kate murmured against him almost silently; her smile growing at the idea of a tiny Alexis clinging onto her father's hand at the sight of the skeleton. "The only thing she said was that she was glad that they weren't around anymore because they'd squash her when they walked" he recalled, Kate finally laughing outloud as he just smiled at the memory.

"I bet you were one of those children who loved history and loved the dinosaurs especially; I bet you had all the books" she admitted, the writer nodding quickly before he gently pressed a kiss into her hair.

"I love that you know me so well Kate" he laughed, the brunette shrugging as she continued to stare at the things around her. "It makes everything work so perfectly" he declared, her eyes rolling before she turned around to face him to see that he wasn't looking at the exhibits but instead was staring right at her.

"Stop looking at me Rick" she moaned, the writer laughing as he wrapped his arms around her tightly; not wanting to let go of her. "There are loads of amazing and beautiful things around you Rick and you're staring at me, so stop it and do what everyone else is doing before I refuse to go out with you again" she warned as he laughed and ran one of his hands to her cheek.

"There may be millions of beautiful and amazing things around us but you're still the most beautiful thing I've ever laid my eyes on Katherine Beckett" he explained as she laughed at his general cheesiness. "And that's never going to change Kate" he added, her eyes rolling before she bit into her lip slowly. Leaning up, the brunette sighed as her lips gently moved to his; his hands linking behind her back as they remained close to each other before his lips began to press a kisses to her forehead. "I love you" he mumbled.

"I love you too" she replied quickly before he moved his arms from around her and took hold of her hand. "We need to go and Alexis soon" she admitted, the writer nodding as he began to lead her towards the exit.

"We can treat her to dinner, I don't want to cook tonight" Rick added, the brunette nodding as she stepped into the street and relaxed. Walking down the street together, Kate laughed when Rick occasionally pressed kisses into her hair; not caring who was around them while he kissed her gently. Approaching Alexis' school, the writer smiled as he watched his daughter notice them before running over and jumping into his arms.

"Daddy, daddy, daddy" Alexis squealed as Rick laughed at her excitement, Kate smiling as she leant in to press a kiss to Alexis' cheek. "And Katie, Katie, Katie" she giggled, the writer rolling his eyes as he took in her enthusiasm.

"I'm guessing you had a good day pumpkin" he laughed, Alexis nodding quickly as her feet touched the floor again before she took hold of Kate's hand as well. "We're going to go for dinner out Alexis" he explained, excitement covering the small girls face as she began to skip down the street with in between the two adults. "What do you fancy pumpkin? Pizza, Chinese or burgers?" he asked.

"Noodles, noodles, noodles" Alexis declared, making Kate laugh as Rick quickly nodded and changed direction towards the nearest Chinese. Entering the restaurant a few moments later, Rick smiled as a familiar waiter walked over to them and laughed.

"Mr Castle, it's good to see you again" he declared, Rick nodding as he shook the man's hand and followed him towards his usual table at the back of the restaurant.

"How do all these people know you Rick?" Kate laughed as the writer shrugged and pulled the seat out for her; his hand lingering on her shoulder for a brief moment before he sat himself down in the chair opposite the brunette while his daughter occupied the one next to him. "It sounds like you never want to cook Mr Castle" she admitted, laughing at he shrugged and looked down at his daughter who was staring at the menu.

"Maybe one day you'll show me your impressive cooking skills Miss Beckett" he declared, a laugh leaving her lips as she shook her head and lifted the menu up to cover her face. Reaching across, Rick smiled as he pulled the menu down and noticed the straight face she was attempting to pull. Waving his finger at her, Rick watched as Kate leant across and stared at him; his lips immediately pressing a kiss to her lips before she smiled and relaxed back in her chair. "So see anything on the menu that you like?" Rick asked Alexis as Kate continued to watch him.

"Noodles" the redhead declared as the writer laughed and watched as a young waitress walked over and quickly took their orders before disappearing again.

"What did you do at school today Alexis?" Kate asked quickly as the redhead began to think about what she'd done that day; the concentration that quickly covered her face making both adults smiled as they watched her.

"We read books and did writing today" she explained, Kate nodding as the redhead smiled at her. "It was fun" she added before explaining to Rick what she'd written. Watching the father and daughter in amazement, Kate sighed as she observed how perfect the relationship was between the writer and the redhead.

"Kate?" Rick asked quickly.

"Yes" she mumbled, realising that both Rick and Alexis were now staring at her. "Hi" she whispered.

"You okay Katie?" he asked as he reached across and took hold of her hand, the brunette nodding as he quickly squeezed her hand and watched her face. "If you want to go home, we can Katie. We can get the food to go" he explained gently, her head shaking before she smiled.

"No, I want to stay here" she stated, her voice still full of determination as he nodded. "I'm bored of being inside because if I'm honest, it's not going to bring my mom back and she'd want me to live my life. She would want me to be happy and she knows I'm happy when I'm with you and Alexis and also I'm starving and really want Chinese right now" she explained, the writer smiling weakly before she leant across and quickly pressed a kiss to his forehead. "Stop worrying about me Rick, I'd tell you if I felt like it was too much".

"I just want to make sure you're okay" he admitted, her head shaking as she brought their joined hands to her lips.

"I'm fine, stop worrying" she whispered; his hand moving to rest against her cheek before the waitress walked over with their food.

"Daddy, food" Alexis squealed in excitement, Kate's eyes rolling as she watched the food be placed in front of them and silence practically filled the room as they began to eat.

XOXOXOXOOXOXOXOX

Entering his bedroom, the writer smiled as he watched the brunette who was standing in front of the mirror in just one of his shirts; her dark hair pulled into a plait while her arms wrapped around her chest. Approaching her slowly, he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss to her neck; her hand running to his cheek as they both relaxed while staring at the rain.

"Are you okay?" he asked, her head nodding as she shut her eyes.

"I just miss my dad Rick, I just want my dad" she admitted, the writer nodding as he took in what she was saying. "Mom's gone and I just miss him" the brunette explained, turning in his arms as she shut her eyes.

"There are times when a girl just wants her dad, I understand that. I have a daughter who continually wants that when I'm not here or when she's upset" he explained as Kate nodded and watched as the writer quickly lifted her into his arms.

"My dad hasn't given me a proper hug since before mom died" she admitted as he placed her on the bed and sat down next to her; watching her as she relaxed back against the headboard. "Except for you, he gives the best hugs. When I was really upset, he used to hug me until I couldn't breathe. I guess you don't understand how much you need something until it's gone" the brunette explained as Rick nodded quickly and moved closer to her, her head resting against his shoulder as she shut her eyes. "Today was amazing".

"It was" he admitted, looking down at her coloured nails from that morning. "It was nice going to the museum with someone who enjoyed it" he laughed, Kate nodding as the writer reached across and turned the light off; the two of them silently moving under the covers before his arms wrapped around her body and held her close to his body. "Tomorrow morning, we'll call him okay. We'll ask him all about everything and when he comes home we'll have a family dinner" he promised, Kate nodding as she kept her eyes shut as she relaxed.

"A family dinner" she repeated, taking in what he'd just said. They were a family in his opinion and she couldn't help but smile at the fact that the writer saw her like that.

**WOW! The response to the last chapter was amazing! Thank you so much, I honestly do love hearing from you and the amount of reviews I'd received for just that chapter made my day. Honestly, I smiled like a crazy person and that rarely happens.**

**Hopefully you enjoy this chapter just as much and well, I hope to hear from you again. **


	39. Chapter 39

Running out of the elevator, Kate smiled as she dodged the crowds of people in the hotel lobby and left the building to see her father's cab pulling up outside; Jim Beckett climbing out a few moments later. Flinging her arms around her father's neck, Kate laughed as Jim smiled at the familiarity of having his daughter back in his arms. He'd missed his daughter. Although she was eighteen and had practically moved in with her older boyfriend, she was still his baby and he loved her even though he hadn't been the greatest father since Kate's mother had died. Since his wife had been murdered!

"I've missed you Katie, I've missed you so much" he whispered into her cherry scented hair, the brunette smiling as tears slowly ran down her cheeks. "I'm not going to do it again Kate, I'm never going to let anything take me away from you Kate" he promised, moving away as she stared at him with tears in her eyes. "You're still my baby Katherine, you're still the beautiful little girl that your mother and I had desperately wanted" Jim admitted, Kate smiling weakly as she wrapped her arms around him again and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"I've missed you so much daddy, I'm so glad that you're home" she whispered as the amount of tears that were running down her cheeks got worse. "Rick's making dinner, they're all excited about seeing you again especially Alexis" she explained as Jim nodded and threw his bag over his shoulder and followed his daughter into the building. "Did it help? That place you went too dad" she explained as he nodded and followed her into the lift.

"It did actually" he admitted. "I met people who were in the same situation as me and it was nice to just be able to talk to someone about it without feeling like I was being a burden. It was nice to have someone who understood" the older man admitted as Kate nodded slowly; taking in what her father was saying. He'd started drinking because he felt like she was a burden? "How have thing's been here in New York?" he asked quickly, Kate smiling as she stepped out of the metal box and walked down the corridor with her father.

"Things have been pretty good surprisingly" she admitted. "Alexis had a birthday party which went really well. We blew up a stupid amount of balloons and ate a lot of cake. We also watched loads of Disney movies and did some painting, the whole floor was covered in glitter" she explained as Jim nodded quickly and watched the small smile that was covering his daughter's face. He loved the Castle's for this. They were there for his daughter when he hadn't been able to support her. The Castle's made his daughter smile even though the most important woman in her life was gone. He couldn't even bare to think about what Kate's life would be like if Rick wasn't involved. "We also went to the museum last week; I forgot how big the dinosaurs were actually".

"How could you forget how big they were Kate? They're not the sort of thing that you forget" he asked quickly, amusement covering his face as Kate shrugged and unlocked the apartment door with the key Rick had let her borrow. Smiling when she saw Rick chasing the young redhead, the brunette relaxed as her father slipped in behind her and quickly shut the door; stopping both Alexis and Rick who turned to look at him. "Hi" Jim said calmly as Alexis ran over and wrapped her arms around his legs, Rick's eyes rolling as Jim stared down at the six year old who was hugging him. "Hello Alexis" the older man laughed as Rick walked towards him and quickly shook his hand.

"It's nice to see you again Mr Beckett" Rick smiled as Jim nodded slowly.

"Jim. You can call me Jim. I mean you're dating my daughter Rick and you're pretty serious so you can call me Jim" the older man explained as the writer nodded slowly and watched his daughter move away from him before Rick lifted Alexis into his arms and looked across at her.

"I better go and check on our food, I don't want to serve burnt food on our first proper home cooked family dinner" Rick admitted, the brunette nodding as she watched the writer walk towards the kitchen with Alexis.

"When's Martha coming home Rick? Is she going to be here for dinner?" the brunette asked as she looked across at her boyfriend who had placed his daughter on the kitchen side and was checking their food. Hearing the door open quickly, Kate smiled as the older redhead approached the group and quickly pressed a kiss to Kate's cheek before smiling across at Jim Beckett who was stood nervously alone.

"Hello Jim, it's nice to see you again. I'm so sorry about Johanna. She was a lovely woman" the redhead whispered, kissing his cheek lightly before she turned to look at her son to see that he was beginning to plate up the food. "Please tell me that's food because I'm starving" she declared, the writer nodding as he carried two plates towards the table.

"Food is served, so come and get it while it's hot" the writer declared, Alexis cheering as she ran over to the table and climbed onto one of the chairs before the rest of the group walked over and joined her.

"This looks amazing Rick" Kate admitted, kissing his cheek quickly before she sat down beside Alexis and relaxed. This was her family, however dysfunctional it was and she knew that her mother was always with her; no matter where she was!

XOOXOXOOXOXOXO

"Are you going back to your apartment now that your dad is home?" Rick asked as he entered his bedroom to see Kate placing her clothes back into her bag. "I'll miss you" he admitted, the brunette nodding as she turned to look at him and quickly found herself in his arms. "I can't imagine what going to bed alone is going to be like" the writer explained as Kate laughed.

"I need to be there for my dad Rick, he needs me right now and I think I need to be with him at the moment" she admitted as the writer nodded quickly. Leaning up, she gently pressed a kiss to his lips before moving away and looking at him. "Don't get me wrong Rick, being with you has been amazing and I couldn't have got this far without you. You've been my rock the last few days but I need to spend some time alone with my dad. We have bridges we need to build and well, we knew it was coming" the brunette explained as he nodded slowly and heard a knock at the door. Turning around, they both looked at Jim Beckett who was nervously stood in the now open doorway.

"The cabs arrived" he admitted, Kate nodding as she watched him disappear again.

"I need to go now, he just wants to get home now. It's been a while for both of us" she mumbled, the writer nodding slowly as she clung to his hand and squeezed it gently. "I'll call you when I get home if you want" she added, the writer nodding again before she kissed him and tightened her arms around his neck; tears running down her cheeks as she thought about everything. She'd felt strangely at home here! Waking up and falling asleep in Rick's arms, having breakfast made for her by the writer and most of all just having the noise of a family around her; the screams of Alexis in excitement for going to school, Martha's laughter when she came into the apartment late at night and Rick's calming voice.

"I'll see you soon Katie" he whispered, her eyebrows rising before she crossed her arms across her chest. "Oh you want me to say that do you Katherine?" he teased, a laugh leaving her lips as she nodded quickly. "I guess I could manage to say it Kate, if you want to hear it so badly" the writer smiled as she nodded again and squeezed his hand, desperately wanting him to say it before she left for the evening. "I love you Katie" he declared, kissing her gently as she moaned onto his lips and sighed.

"I don't know whether I'll be able to sleep without you there, you've kept the nightmares away since mom…" she mumbled against his lips as he shut his eyes and rested his forehead against hers for a moment.

"My phone is right by my bed, if you need me you can call and I'll be straight there. Mother's staying in the apartment so it'll be okay for me to leave if you need me at any point" the writer explained before kissing her again. "You better go beautiful, your dad is waiting for you and I bet you both want to go home and see your apartment" he whispered, brushing the hair away from her face as she nodded and sighed.

"Kate, hurry up" Jim laughed from outside the door.

"I'm coming dad" she moaned, slipping away from the writer before she approached the door and turned around to look at him before opening the door and walking out of the room to find her father waiting. "You're so annoying sometimes dad" the brunette laughed, punching her father's arm in a jokey fashion before she looked across at the couch to find Martha sat with Alexis' head on her lap while the younger girl was fast asleep. "Tell Alexis that I say goodnight and that I'll talk to her tomorrow" Kate explained; the older woman nodding before Kate walked out with her father.

XOOXOXOXOXOXO

Standing outside their apartment, Kate sighed as she across at her father who quickly moved to unlock the door; the older man nodding as he quickly pushed the door open and stared into the darkness. Reaching in, Jim sighed as he quickly switched the light on and stared at what was left of their family home. Dust, mess and beer bottles! This is what their life was after everything had happened; after Johanna had been killed and they lost their stability. They lost the woman who kept their family together.

"We're going to be okay aren't we daddy?" she mumbled as Jim began to slowly nod.

"We're going to be okay Katie, we're going to be okay" he whispered, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as he brought her close to him. "We're going to get through this Kate, I promise".

**This chapter is defiantly not one of my favourites but it was needed and I thought no time like the present. Thank you for your amazing response for the past chapters and I hope you continue to enjoy this story just as much as I adore writing it so thank you for making it even better by being the amazing readers that you are. **


	40. Chapter 40

Entering the apartment, the writer yawned as he ran his hands through his head and looked across to see the familiar brunette sat on his couch with a packet of chips on her lap. Kicking his shoes off, he smiled at the writer walked across to kiss her gently; Kate smiling the moment his lips touched her dark hair before his hands ran to her shoulders and began to massage them gently, a small groan leaving her lips as he applied pressure to her shoulders.

"What are you doing here beautiful?" Rick asked quickly, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek as she smiled and relaxed back into the couch, her hand running across to pat the space beside her. "And how did you get in here?" he asked in confusion.

"Well my dad is out with his sponsor and I know that Alexis is at school and Martha has an audition so I thought, why not come and keep my boyfriend company for the day when he'll be all alone in this big apartment?" she explained as the writer sat down beside her and wrapped an arm quickly around her as she moved closer to him. "Also, Martha gave me a spare key the last time I was here" she added, the writer nodding slowly as she relaxed in his arms. "I've missed you Rick" she admitted, resting her head against his shoulder as he slowly nodded and tightened his arms around her.

"Phone calls aren't enough anymore, especially after a whole week of not seeing you Katie" he explained, Kate nodding as she thought about the conversations they'd had on the week since she'd returned home with her father. The first night home she'd spent most the night on the phone to him, unable to sleep and just listening as he read her one of his books down the line. The rest of the week had been similar but she'd managed to fall asleep quicker with every evening. "So what do you want to do today?" he asked quickly, surprised when she answered him with a kiss on his lips that quickly deepened. Hearing her laugh against his lips as they moved so she was lying on the couch beneath him, the writer sighed as she leant up to kiss him again. "Katie" he whispered, feeling her hands move to undo his shirt.

"We've never done it in New York before" she admitted against his lips as he shut his eyes and took in what she was saying. "We've never made love in our homes Rick" the brunette explained, kissing him lightly again as he groaned, unable to resist the warmth of her body against his.

"Come on then" he laughed, moving off the couch as she nodded and took hold of his hand; quickly leading her towards his bedroom as she continued to bite into her bottom lip; excitement building up in her veins as she continued to watch him. Entering the bedroom, Kate smiled as she looked out of the window to see the sun beaming outside the window and naturally lighting the room. "I love you" he whispered into her hair, wrapping his arms around her quickly as their lips found each other's again.

"Who's picking Alexis up today?" she asked gently as he began to kiss her neck.

"Mother, on her way home from the audition" he admitted, moving towards the door to lock the door as Kate rose her eyebrows in confusion. "Better to be safe than sorry" he quoted, the brunette nodding as she walked over to him and began to kiss him again; their fingers quickly running to remove the clothes from each other.

XOOXOXOXOXOX

Slipping out of his bedroom later that day, Kate giggled as she stood dressed in a pair of Rick's sweats and his batman t-shirt while he stood proudly beside her in a pair of sweats and another batman t-shirt on. Wrapping his arm around her hips, the writer explained as she kissed him quickly before they walked towards the kitchen to hear the familiar giggling of Alexis.

"Katie, Katie, Katie" the young redhead squealed when she saw the brunette appear, Alexis quickly running towards her as Kate laughed and wrapped her arms around the six year old. Approaching the kitchen, Rick smiled as he began to pour two drinks of water as he continued to watch Kate and Alexis hug while his mother watched her.

"Did you have a good day at school pumpkin?" Rick asked as Kate and Alexis approached the kitchen, the brunette smiling at him in thanks while he focused on his daughter who had climbed onto the chair and was humming to herself for a moment.

"It was amazing daddy" the redhead smiled as both Kate and Rick nodded. "Daddy" she began, Rick nodding quickly as he looked at his daughter to see the concentration that was covering her face. "Why are you and Katie allowed to jump on the bed?" the redhead asked, shock covering the couples faces as Martha laughed at her granddaughter's question.

"What do you mean pumpkin?" he asked, trying to remain calm as Kate quickly fell silent, embarrassment covering her face as she listed to the interaction between the father and daughter while trying not to die of shame.

"I'm not allowed to jump on my bed, so why are you and Katie?" she observed, Rick nodding slowly as he stared at her. "I heard you daddy" she declared, Kate choking on the water she'd just drank as Rick's face began to turn red. "You were both laughing and Katie kept saying faster, were you playing a game or something?" she asked, the innocent look on her face making Martha laugh as she quickly stood up and rested her hands on her granddaughter's shoulder while Rick and Kate both fell silent in embarrassment.

"Alexis, you are brilliant" Martha commented, confusion covering Alexis' face as her grandmother looked at Rick and then across at Kate. "You two have a lot of explaining to do" she muttered before disappearing towards the stairs, Kate's fingers running through her hair as she looked across at Rick who was just staring at his daughter who was watching him in confusion.

"So?" Alexis asked, wanting the answer to her question.

"So Rick?" Kate repeated, the writer groaning as he moved to take the seat next to his daughter.

"Pumpkin, sometimes adults play a game that isn't for children, it's just for adults" he began, the redhead staring at him as Kate continued to bite into her lip. "And you're not supposed to hear it but sometimes adults get excited and really want to play the game so they go into their room and play it" he lied while Kate shook her head, not impressed by his explanation. "Why don't you go and do some drawing pumpkin?" he suggested, the redhead nodding quickly before she ran off, the writer laughing as he felt Kate hit his arm. "What was that for?"

"That was the worst explanation I've ever heard Rick. Honestly that was terrible, are you sure you're a writer?" she laughed before kissing him quickly and sighing. "Your mother and daughter heard us having sex Rick" she whispered against his lips, the writer nodding before they both laughed and fell silent. "That's so embarrassing".

"Imagine if we did it at your place, your dad would kill me if he found us doing that. There would be no chance of Alexis having any siblings in the future if he even caught us making out" he admitted, Kate nodding slowly before she turned around to see Alexis sat on the couch drawing on a collection of paper. "We're matching" he declared, attempting to change the conversation as they both looked down at their outfits and laughed. "Batman is defiantly the best superhero" he commented.

"Of course" she smiled. "Let's go and watch a movie" she suggested, the writer nodding as she stood up and approached the couch where Alexis was sitting. "We're going to watch a movie sweetheart, do you want to choose something?" she asked, the redhead nodding as she ran off the choose a movie while Kate curled up on the second couch and watched as Rick joined her and quickly wrapped his arms around her while Alexis put a film on and returned to her couch. "Good choice" Kate smiled as Beauty and the Beast appeared on the screen.

"Before the movie starts properly, are you staying tonight Kate?" Rick whispered in Kate's ear, her response being a shrug as she cuddled up against him and smiled at the movie. "I hope you stay" he admitted gently, the brunette not responding as she continued to focus on the film.

XOOOXOOXOOX

"Hey dad" Kate mumbled down the phone as she stared across at the writer who was currently making dinner for the family. "Daddy, I'm going to stay at Rick's tonight" she explained as the writer smiled at her before being joined by his daughter who he immediately lifted onto the kitchen side and allowed to help make the dinner. "I know daddy but I want to stay, we have to catch up on things" she admitted, nodding slowly as she listened to her father mention how he was planning on going out for dinner with some of his friends and his sponsor. "Have fun daddy, I love you" she declared, smiling when her father repeated it to her before they both said goodbye and she put the phone down.

"How's your dad?" Rick asked as she joined them in the kitchen.

"He's good, he's going out for dinner with his friends tonight" she admitted, the writer's arm wrapping around her as she smiled. "Well, I guess I'm having with my dinner with some of my family tonight, so I'm not going to be alone" the brunette declared before pressing a kiss to his cheek gently before looking across at Alexis. "Are you making dinner trouble?" the brunette asked as she watched Alexis stir the pasta sauce with a large smile on her face.

"Yes, it's pasta" Alexis giggled, the writer's eyes rolling as he moved to collect some plates as Kate just watched in amazement. Wrapping his arms around Kate when he put the plates down, the writer smiled as she relaxed back against his chest while he gently pressed kisses into her hair while Alexis just watched, her face showing her lack of amusement at what the two adults were doing. "Stop! It's dinner time" the redhead ordered, Kate laughing as she quickly moved away from Rick to serve up their food; Rick watching her complete the domestic act as Alexis just watched her with a smile on her face.

"Go and wash your hands pumpkin" Rick declared, lifting his daughter off the side before she ran off. "You're so sexy when you're being domestic" he admitted, her eyes rolling before she gently punched his arm and carried two of the plates towards the table; Rick following her with the other plate as Alexis ran through and jumped onto one of the chairs. "I'm glad you're so excited for dinner Alexis" he laughed, Alexis nodding as she began to eat, the two adults sitting down opposite her before they began to enjoy their meals, Rick's hand finding Kate's under the table as the brunette smiled down at her food; enjoying being close to him again.

XOXOOXOXOXO

"Now that is hot" Rick commented as he entered his bedroom to find the brunette sat on the bed dressed in only his batman t-shirt while reading one of his books. Kissing her gently, the writer sighed as she stared at him and bit into her lip. "What's wrong?" he asked quickly, the brunette smiling as she looked across at the window.

"I need to do something" she admitted, the writer nodding as she stood up and took the unlit candle from the bedside table. Watching her, Rick smiled as she lit the candle and stared up at the sky for a moment. "I love you mom" she whispered gently, the writer understanding what she was doing as she placed the candle on the window sill and moved to climb onto the bed.

"She's always going to be looking down on you Katie, she's always going to be there" he whispered as she groaned, confusing him slightly as he stared at her. "What?" he asked. "Did I say something wrong Katie?"

"Rick on a normal day I would love you for saying that but you've just destroyed any chance of you getting lucky tonight, I don't really want my mom seeing that" she admitted, lying down in the bed as he groaned and lay down beside her, his arms wrapping around her body. Feeling his lips press a kiss to the back of her head, she smiled as he brought her slightly closer and relaxed. "Dad wants you to come to dinner tomorrow, he wants to get to know you better" she mumbled.

"Better?" he asked. "What else does he want to know? Does he want to know what type of underwear I buy or something?" he joked, Kate's head shaking quickly as she turned in his arms quickly so she could face him.

"He's a lot more protective at the moment" she admitted, the writer nodding slowly as she stared at him. "He knows how much I love you but he needs to make sure that you're a respectable and that you're not just using me" she explained, leaning up to him to press a kiss to his lips gently. "He does adore you though Rick and he thinks you're an amazing guy and that you're really good for me".

"That's always good to know" he smiled, the brunette nodding as she yawned. "You need to sleep" he commented, a groan leaving her lips as he nodded slowly. "Sleep now Miss Beckett, I'll be here when you wake up and I'll make you a special breakfast. Maybe I'll make smiley face pancakes".

"I like the sound of that" she admitted, kissing him gently before she rested her head against his chest while his hands continued to run up and down her back; enjoying the warmth of her body against his again. "I love you Rick" the brunette mumbled as he nodded.

"I love you too Katie" he admitted, his eyes shutting as she yawned again and began to fall asleep.

**So I've decided to update although the last chapter received little response so I'm hoping that you are still reading out there. Thank you so much to the people who added this to their favourites and alerts since I last updated and I hope you enjoy this chapter, I decided I would attempt to have something more positive before things so rollercoaster mad again. **

**Anyway thank you. **


	41. Chapter 41

Reaching out in the bed, Kate smiled as she felt her hand touch Rick's chest, a small laugh leaving her lips as she turned to see the writer lying fast asleep beside her in his boxers and batman t-shirt. Moving closer, the brunette curled herself beside him as he groaned and wrapped an arm around her body; not bothering to open his eyes as she relaxed against him. Feeling his lips press a kiss into her hair, Kate sighed as she remained close to him and enjoyed the feeling of being close to him again while his grip of her tightened.

"Good morning" he whispered, looking down at her as she stared up at him and quickly pressed a kiss to her lips, her fingers slowly running through his hair as she relaxed. "God you're so beautiful Kate" he commented, her eyes rolling as she moved to straddle him quickly; their lips finding each other's again as his fingers ran to the bottom of her t-shirt. "What time is it?" he asked quickly, Kate groaning as she looked across at the clock and smiled.

"Seven" she mumbled, her lips moving to his neck as the writer smiled and nodded.

"Alexis won't be awake yet, it's a Saturday. She probably won't get out of bed for at least an hour" he explained, the brunette laughing as he began to pull her t-shirt up. "I guess we can jump on the bed for a while" he admitted, her eyes rolling before she nodded and kissed him again, allowing his hands to strip her of the t-shirt.

XOXOXOOXOXOXOX

"Daddy you were jumping on the bed again" Alexis moaned as her father walked out of his bedroom, shock covering his face as he noticed the small redhead who was sat in front of the television with a bowl of cereal. "Gram's says its naughty when you play that game, she says you need to stop playing it when I'm home" the redhead admitted, his teeth sinking into his lip as he tried not to laugh; the sound of the shower turning on in his en-suite making him relax slightly. At least Kate wouldn't be embarrassed again!

"What are you doing up so early pumpkin? It's a Saturday, you should be sleeping" he asked quickly, the redhead turning to look at him quickly as the writer smiled at her, noticing that she was wide awake and was showing no signs of being tired. "What am I saying? You're my daughter, you don't do what people tell you".

"What's wrong with your hair daddy?" the redhead questioned, shock covering his face as he quickly approached the mirror to see his hair sticking up at odd angles from when Kate had been running her fingers through his hair. "Brush your hair, it looks silly" she giggled, the writer nodding as he ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to flatten it down. "Are you making pancakes?" she asked quickly, the writer nodding as she climbed off the couch and approached her father who quickly wrapped his arms around her for a morning hug.

"I thought smiley face pancakes today" Rick admitted, the brunette laughing when Alexis quickly nodded and ran towards the kitchen.

"Hurry daddy" Alexis smiled, the writer nodding as he followed her into the kitchen and lifted his daughter onto the side where she normally sat when they were making food together, especially when making pancakes. Hearing the shower turn off, Rick smiled as the writer quickly passed her two eggs, knowing that was her favourite job when it came to making the pancakes. Hearing footsteps, the writer turned to see Kate walking towards them in the same sweats and t-shirt she'd worn the previous day, her wet hair pulled away from her face. "Katie" the redhead squealed, laughing when Kate quickly pressed a kiss to her forehead and hugged her for a brief moment before sitting herself down to watch the two Castle's silently make pancakes.

"Can we go to the park today daddy?" Alexis asked, the writer sighing as he looked across at Kate who was grinning while she watched Alexis crack the eggs. "Daddy I did it" she giggled, the writer looking down to see the eggs mixed with the flower and for the first time with no cracked shell mixed into the mixture.

"Well done Lex" Kate smiled proudly, Rick beaming as he nodded in agreement and began to whisk the mixture; occasionally looking up to see Kate now plaiting his daughters hair while Alexis just sat patiently. "There we go" the brunette whispered, pressing a kiss to Alexis' cheek as the girl giggled and looked across at her father.

"Look daddy" Alexis announced, the writer nodding as he stared at his daughter's tied back hair.

"Wow, you look lovely pumpkin" he declared, beginning to cook as Alexis smiled; Kate walking out quickly to help the small girl off the kitchen side. "Why don't you go and get dressed Alexis and then maybe after breakfast we'll go to the park?" he explained, the redhead nodding as she quickly ran up the stairs. Wrapping his arms around Kate briefly, the writer smiled as the brunette gently kissed his cheek before sighing. "Maybe we could have a picnic, just the three of us".

"I'd like that" she whispered, kissing him quickly before he returned to making their breakfast.

XOXOOXXOXOO

"Katie look at me" Alexis squealed as Rick continued to push his daughter on the swing, the brunette watching proudly as the little girl continued to giggle as she got higher into the hair. "I'm flying" she laughed, Kate nodding as she sat down on a nearby bench and continued to watch her boyfriend and his daughter.

"Bethany" a voice screamed as Kate watched a little girl run in front of her, a woman around Kate's age chasing after her as the brunette's focus changed from Alexis to the woman who had now caught up with the small girl. "You are in so much trouble, your mom is going to freak when she sees how dirty you've made your dress" the woman moaned, Kate laughing gently as she heard Alexis squeal in excitement from the swings.

"Your fault" the small girl responded, shocking Kate slightly as the woman stood up straight and crossed her arms. "Mommy is going to tell you off when she sees my dress" the girl explained, Kate smiling as she took in the girl's responses. "And you're scared".

"Am not" the woman responded before the girl ran off again. Groaning, the woman slowly walked over and approached the bench, Kate smiling weakly at her as the woman smiled back at her. "Can I sit?" she asked, Kate nodding quickly as she sat beside her and sighed.

"Katie look" Alexis called out, Kate's focus moving back onto the redhead who was still on the swings, Rick standing behind her beginning to get exhausted from pushing her but never removing the smile from his face.

"Wow you're so high" Kate laughed, the redhead nodding as she clung on even tighter.

"She's a beautiful little girl" the woman commented as Kate turned to look at her and nodded slowly. "You seem too young to be a mom" she admitted, Kate laughing gently as she took in the fact that someone thought she was Alexis' mom.

"I'm not, she's my boyfriend's daughter" Kate explained, earning a nod from the other woman who smiled at her. "What about you? You seem to be too young to have a daughter" she laughed, the woman groaning as she looked across to see the girl playing with some other children.

"That nightmare of a girl is my niece, her mom's working so on my day off I have to look after her" the woman moaned as Kate smiled. "I'm Lanie Parish" the woman finally introduced as Kate nodded at her.

"I'm Kate Beckett" Kate responded, laughing when Alexis ran over and jumped onto her lap. "God you're so heavy" the brunette teased, Alexis laughing as Kate quickly pressed a kiss into Alexis' hair who relaxed back into her body. Walking over, Rick smiled at the way his daughter had curled up into Kate's arms while the brunette slowly ran her hand down Alexis' arm. "Rick, Alexis I want you to meet someone" Kate admitted. "This is Lanie" she explained.

"Hi" Lanie declared, Rick nodding.

"We're going to have a picnic, you could join us if you like" the brunette explained as Lanie quickly nodded and waved across at her niece who walked over slowly. "Alexis this is Bethany".

"Beth" the small girl quickly responded, Lanie's eyes rolling as Kate nodded. "I'm Beth".

"Hi" Alexis beamed, moving off Kate's lap as the other girl stared at her. "Katie, I'm hungry" the redhead admitted as she turned to look at the brunette who quickly nodded and found the bag underneath the table.

"Why don't you and Beth sit down?" Rick asked, the two girls nodding as they sat down on the other bench and laughed. "So Lanie, what do you do?" the writer asked as he served food to the girls before sitting down beside Kate, his arm sneaking around her waist as the brunette relaxed.

"I'm at med school at the moment" she admitted, shocking them both as Kate nodded. "I want to go into forensics" she explained.

"Auntie Lanie what's forensics?" Beth asked.

"I'm not telling you" Lanie responded. "It's for adults only".

"Like the game daddy and Katie play" Alexis blurted out, embarrassment quickly covering Rick and Kate's face as Lanie's eyebrows rose quickly in amusement. "They jump up and down on the bed and see who can go the fastest but children aren't allowed to play it, it's for adults only" the redhead explained, Lanie laughing as Kate buried her head into Rick's shoulder.

"Just kill me now Rick" Kate begged, her voice almost silent under Lanie's laughter.

"Well that's always good to know Alexis" the woman explained before looking across at the humiliated couple. "What do you two do then?" she asked, attempting to change the conversation for the two people who she'd just met who were currently dying of humiliation.

"Rick's a writer" Kate blurted out, shock covering Lanie's face before she laughed.

"I knew I recognised you from somewhere" the student commented, Kate laughing as Rick quickly rolled his eyes. "My mom reads your books, she's obsessed with them" the woman admitted, the writer smiling as Kate rolled her eyes, knowing how Rick got when he found out about a new fan.

"What about you Kate?" Lanie asked; the brunette looking down as she attempted to think of something to say. Rick was a writer. Lanie was a med student. What was she?

"I'm…" she began before falling silent.

"Kate's still looking for something that clicks perfectly" Rick blurted out, Kate smiling weakly as she nodded and hugged him quickly. "And I know she'll find it soon" he whispered into her hair, the brunette nodding as Lanie watched them in amazement.

"So how long have you been together?" Lanie questioned as the brunette sighed and looked up at the writer.

"Almost seven months now" Kate admitted, the writer nodding proudly as he pressed another kiss into her hair. "It feels like forever though" she added, Lanie laughing as Rick rolled his eyes and tightened his arms around her. "What about you? Any special men out there?" the brunette asked, surprised at how open she was being with the stranger.

"I've given up men" Lanie declared before groaning. "And I would just like to say that it was the most difficult decision of my life but they get in the way" she laughed before looking at Rick. "No offense Rick".

"None taken" he quickly replied as Kate leant up and kissed his cheek gently. Looking down at the watch she was wearing, the woman groaned as the brunette stared at her in confusion. "Everything okay?" Rick asked.

"We have to go, I have to get this one back so I can hide the mess she made" Lanie laughed, earning a glare from a niece.

"Your fault" Beth commented in amusement.

"It was nice meeting you Kate, Rick" Lanie smiled as the brunette smiled at her.

"Maybe I could get your number. We could go for a coffee one day?" Kate suggested, Lanie nodding as she quickly dug a pen out of her bag and scribbled down her number for the brunette who smiled at her.

"I'd like that, I don't really get on with many people at my college so it would be nice to have someone to girly gossip with about things" Lanie explained before taking her nieces hand and saying goodbye to them again, the two of them walking away quickly as Alexis ran off to play on the swings again.

"I see you've made a friend Kate" Rick commented, the brunette nodding as she relaxed in his arms. "I haven't see you go out with any friends in a long time" the writer explained.

"I haven't talked to Maddy since everything happened with the press" she admitted, the writer nodding as she shut her eyes and rested back against him. "It's nice to have someone to talk to though" the brunette smiled, feeling Rick's lips press into her hair as she continued to relax close to him. "Not that I don't love talking to you".

"I know what you mean Kate, I can't be the only person you talk to" he explained, Kate nodding slowly as she heard sobbing. Opening her eyes, the brunette immediately noticed that Alexis was on the ground; her body moving quickly to run towards Alexis and lift her into her arms; Rick watching her as worry covered her face. "Pumpkin are you okay?" Rick asked as Kate walked over with Alexis.

"I fell over" Alexis sobbed, her head remaining buried into Kate's shoulder. Resting Alexis on the bench, the brunette sighed as she knelt down and stared at Alexis' knees to see blood covering them. "Is it bad?" the redhead cried. "Are they going to cut off my legs?" she sobbed, confusion covering Kate's face as she looked up at Rick who was biting into his lip.

"Of course they're not going to cut your legs off Alexis" Kate smiled, pressing a kiss to the redhead's forehead before sighing. "How about we go home and I clean these knees of yours so we don't have to even think about cutting your legs off?" she explained, the young girl nodding quickly before she held her arms out. "Have I got to carry you home?" Kate asked, amusement covering her face as Alexis nodded.

"I can do it" Rick quickly commented.

"No, it's fine" Kate smiled, lifting Alexis into her arms as the redhead continued to cry.

**Another Alexis filled chapter because you seem to love it when she's here. Also someone wanted me to bring Lanie into the story so Kate could have someone to talk to so she is also now involved in the story. **

**Thank you for your amazing response to the last chapter and I hope you review to this chapter. It really does make my boring day at college a lot better. **


	42. Chapter 42

"Will you stop worrying?" Kate laughed as she stepped out of the lift with the writer, their fingers interlocked as she began to lead him down the corridor. "My dad loves you Rick, he's not going to shoot you now. We've done the whole awkward first meeting" she admitted, the writer nodding slowly before they both stopped and Kate quickly kissed him gently; smiling when his free hand pushed her body closer to his.

"At least we didn't bring Alexis with us this time" he laughed, Kate groaning as she quickly nodded. "We don't need her telling your dad about how we keep jumping on the bed, I think your dad would shoot me then if he heard that" he whispered, Kate nodding slowly before she kissed him again and sighed. "I can't believe she told Lanie that. We barely know the woman but she knows that we're very active in our sex life" he explained, Kate laughing at his comment before she began to lead him towards her apartment. "I've never been so embarrassed and you should have heard her this morning when you were in the shower, she actually told me off for jumping on the bed because my mother told her it was naughty" he declared, Kate laughing as she knocked on the front door and attempted to calm herself before her father answered the door. Opening the door, Jim Beckett smiled as he looked at her daughter in amusement to see her recovering from laughter, her cheeks bright red as Rick smirked behind her.

"Who are you again? You look familiar from somewhere" he joked, Kate's eyes rolling as Rick laughed gently at his comment before watching as Kate's arms quickly wrapped around her father who tightly held her close to him for a moment. "Hey Katie" he whispered, pressing a kiss into her dark hair before she moved away and felt Rick's arm slip around her hips again. "It's nice to see you again Rick" he commented, shaking Rick's hand as the writer nodded slowly.

"You too Jim" Rick smiled, the two adults nodding as they quickly entered the apartment before Jim shut the door and entered the living room with his daughter and her boyfriend who quickly sat down; Kate's body cuddled up against the writer while he smiled at the fact that she was cuddled up against him. "How have you been?" he asked quickly, the older man nodding slowly as he sat down on the other couch and watched him.

"I've been good thank you, things are beginning to come together again" he admitted, watching as the writer kept an arm around Kate while she rested back against him. "So what have you two been doing?" the older man asked as Kate smiled at her father and thought about her day at the park and all the jumping on the bed she'd done in Alexis' mind.

"We just went to the park for a picnic" Kate admitted, the writer nodding slowly as his fingers began to slip under her shirt to rest on her stomach; Kate biting into her lip to stop herself from laughing at how cold his fingers were against her skin. "We watched Beauty and the Beast with Alexis as well, that was fun" she added, moving her arm to cover where Rick's hand was so her father wouldn't notice and think that they were being inappropriate.

"I'm going to check on dinner" Jim declared, quickly leaving the room. Hearing her father get further away, Kate quickly elbowed the writer in the stomach, a small groan leaving his lips as she relaxed in his arms.

"What was that for?" he asked quickly.

"I could feel your fingers moving into my pants, stop it" she warned before turning in his arms to kiss him quickly. "My dad was right there Rick, you cannot start behaving like that in front of him. Get some self-control".

"Well we have been living on the dangerous side at the moment Kate, remember all the jumping on the bed we've been doing" he admitted, a small giggle leaving her lips as she nodded and stared at him in amusement. "I love you Kate" he whispered, kissing her quickly before she sighed and heard footsteps. Turning around, Kate smiled at the sight of her father who was waiting patiently by the doorway with a small smile covering his face.

"Dinners ready Kate, Rick" Jim commented as Kate and Rick quickly stood up and followed him towards the dining room table. Pulling the seat out for the brunette, the writer smiled as Kate laughed and quickly sat down, the writer sitting beside her while her father sat opposite; leaving one empty seat. Losing her smile as she stared at the empty space that normally belonged to her mother; the brunette closed her eyes for a brief moment as Rick reached across and found her hand underneath the table. "So are you working on anything at the moment Richard?" the older man asked quickly, desperately trying to change his daughter's focus from the empty seat.

"I've been drafting a few ideas recently" he admitted, surprising Kate who quickly looked up at the writer in shock. "I haven't written anything major but I have some ideas coming along" the writer explained, Kate nodding slowly as she began to eat her meal slowly, still holding onto Rick's hand underneath the table. "I've got a while before anything needs to be given to my publisher so I have the time to think and have some fun with life before the pressures of deadlines kick in".

"And how's Alexis? I hear that she's doing really well in school at the moment. Kate never stops talking about her" Jim commented quickly, Kate sighing as she listened to her father's questions, knowing he was building up to the more difficult questions.

"She is but she's always loved school and she adores having Kate around" the writer explained proudly before he looked across at Kate was beginning to play with her food. "Kate's amazing with her, she was plaiting her hair this morning and I've never seen Alexis sit so still while someone does her hair. She still complains when I attempt to do her hair" Rick laughed, Jim nodding slowly as he looked at his daughter.

"I remember that Johanna had to go to work early for something so she told me I had to get Kate ready for a ballet exam for when she got home. I have never seen a child complain so much about having her hair done but then Johanna came home and saw what I was doing and Kate calmed the moment Johanna took over" Jim explained as Rick laughed, knowing that situation to heart before he looked at the brunette.

"You did ballet?" he asked Kate, her head nodding slowly as she smiled weakly. "Katherine Beckett, you did ballet and never told me?" he laughed as her smile began to grow at his shock.

"I was little, I can't remember doing it that much and I stopped when I was around Alexis' age" she admitted, shrugging off the mention of ballet before taking a small bite of the pasta her father had prepared. "This is really good dad, you're getting better at this cooking business" she mumbled, putting her fork down quickly as both men noticed that she'd hardly eaten any of the meal.

"Are you feeling okay Kate?" Rick whispered, his worry obvious as the brunette nodded and smiled up at him before squeezing his hand. "Jim this really is good, I want this recipe. Alexis would love this" the writer muttered as he finished the meal and watched as Jim finished his own meal.

"We're going to go in my room for a minute dad, if that's okay?" Kate explained, her father nodding slowly as she stood up and quickly lead the writer into her bedroom. Shutting the door once they were both inside, Kate sighed as Rick's arms wrapped around her and her head buried against his chest. "I'm sorry about dinner" she whispered.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Katie" he muttered, pressing a kiss into her cherry scented hair before sighing. "It was a big thing, I mean we were having dinner together around the table that you used to have family dinners with your mom at" he explained, the brunette nodding slowly as she felt tears run down her cheeks. "So it's okay if you want to be upset Kate, it's a big thing, losing a parent and you're allowed to be upset when you think about her" Rick smiled, her head nodding slowly as she leant up and quickly kissed him.

"I don't know what I'd do without you Rick" she admitted against his lips as the writer sighed and quickly nodded, resting his forehead against hers for a silent moment. "Can you go and get me a drink?" she asked, the writer nodding as she moved away to sit on the edge of the bed. Creeping out of the room, Rick smiled as he entered the kitchen to find the older man washing up while Rick quickly poured Kate a glass of water and looked at Jim who hadn't even acknowledged his presence in the room. Walking back out of the kitchen, Rick sighed as he pushed the bedroom door open and felt the smile grow on his face as he looked across to see Kate lying in the centre of her bed, still fully dressed with her shoes on, fast asleep. Approaching her quickly, he rested the glass of water on the bedside table before gently pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"You're so beautiful Kate" he muttered, watching her sleep for a moment before he heard movement outside the door; his body turning quickly to see that Jim was watching him. "She's completely out" he laughed, Jim nodding slowly as he crossed his arms and watched as the writer moved to gently remove her shoes from her and pull the blanket carefully around her, desperately trying not to wake her up. Smiling as Rick gently pressed another kiss to Kate's forehead, Jim sighed as he took in how careful Rick was around Kate, how protective and loving he was towards her. It was obvious that Rick adored his daughter!

"She really loves you Richard" Jim commented, watching as the smile covered Rick's face as he slowly began to nod in response to Jim's admission. "I've never seen her let someone in as much as she's let you in and you're good for her" he explained, walking out of the room with the writer who had decided it would be better to leave Kate to sleep. "I don't know what she'd do without you" the older man admitted.

"That's the second time I've heard that today" the writer commented as Jim nodded and sat down on the couch. "She's an amazing young woman Jim, you and Johanna did an amazing job bringing her up. I'd love Alexis to have even half the heart Kate does" he admitted, Jim looking across in the direction of his daughter's room proudly. "Alexis adores her and everyone I've introduced her too can't help but love her" Rick admitted as Jim slowly began to nod.

"She's so much like her mother" Jim smiled sadly, staring at the image of mother and daughter that was resting on the shelves. Kate and Johanna were smiling at the camera, arms around each other the previous year in the summer. "They were best friends. Kate told her everything and I would constantly come home to hear them giggling in her bedroom about boys or clothes or something that they wouldn't ever talk to me about" he laughed, tears filling his eyes as Rick remained silent. "But when they fought it was like a war" he admitted, the writer nodding slowly in response. "I remember when they went shopping for Kate's prom dress, Kate was angry because Jo had made a comment over the shoes Kate wanted and Kate was furious" he laughed, Rick smiling as he thought about he was going to one day probably have those issues with his own daughter. He was going to have to take her prom dress shopping and carefully make judgements on what he thought of every outfit while desperately trying not to offend his little girl.

"What happened?" Rick asked.

"Following day, they went back to the shop and Kate decided that she didn't like the shoes anymore and instead said the ones Jo wanted were nicer and easier to wear" Jim sighed, rolling his eyes as he remembered the smiling women who'd retuned that day compared to the furious women who had come home the previous day. Hearing the phone ring, Jim sighed as he reached across and took the phone into his hands. "Hello?" he asked before falling silent and holding the phone out to the writer. "It's your mother" he explained, Rick groaning as he quickly took the phone.

"Hello mother" he sighed, Jim watching as panic covered Rick's face as he slowly nodded along to whatever his mother was saying. "No I'll be there in twenty minutes and then you can tell me what happened" he explained, putting the phone down a moment later to see Jim staring at him. "I have to go" he declared.

"Is everything okay?" Jim asked in confusion, surprised that Rick was going to leave while Kate was fast asleep in the other room.

"Alexis fell down the stairs and they think she's broken her arm, she won't let them near her unless I'm there so I have to go" he explained, Jim nodding slowly as he watched the writer look around. "Have you got some paper and a pen I can use?" he asked, the older man nodding as he quickly moved to find a note pad and a pen before passing it to the writer. Scribbling down a note, Rick sighed as he walked towards Kate's room and entered it to find the brunette still perfectly still in her sleep. Resting the note on the side, the writer sighed before he gently pressed a kiss to her forehead before leaving. "Thank you for dinner Jim, it was amazing".

"I'll get you the recipe" Jim laughed, watching as a panicked Rick walked out of the apartment quickly, needing to get to his daughter.

XOXOOXOXXOXOXO

Opening her eyes, Kate groaned as she reached across to find that the bed was empty. Where was she? Where was Rick? Looking around, she sighed as she took in her own bedroom and relaxed, glad that she was at least somewhere familiar. Flicking the lamp on, the brunette stared at the scribbled note that was resting beside it, her fingers taking hold of it as she yawned.

_Kate, _

_I wish I could be there with you right now, cuddled up in your bed with you but Alexis has been taken to hospital after falling down the stairs and is refusing to let any doctors near her without me there. I'll see you soon. _

_Rick x _

Climbing out of her bed, Kate sighed as she found her shoes paired together on the floor, her smile growing as she quickly pulled them on and found a jumper which she quickly pulled on as she walked out of her bedroom; the sound of her father snoring in his room making her smile briefly before she looked across at the clock. 3 am! Was it too early to go to his apartment? Shaking her head, she sighed as she found the keys to her father's car before scribbling note about where she and his care were before she slipped out of the apartment, still yawning in exhaustion. She desperately needed to know that Alexis was alright.

XOXOXOXXOOXXOOX

"I don't like hospitals daddy" Alexis yawned as her father carried her out of the lift while Martha followed them in silence. They'd been at the hospital until around twenty minutes ago, other people coming before them as more urgent while Alexis yawned and cuddled up to her father, complaining about how her broken arm hurt. Staring down at the bright pink cast that was on his daughter's arm, Rick sighed as he watched his mother unlock the apartment door and push the door open to find the lamp on by the couches.

"You didn't turn the lights off when you left?" Rick asked.

"I did" Martha declared, Rick groaning as he walked towards the lamp, wanting to turn it off as Alexis cuddled up against him. Reaching across, Rick sighed as he noticed the person who was curled up on his couch fast asleep. "Richard?" Martha asked.

"I've found who turned the light on mother" he commented, Alexis turning to see the brunette lying on the couch asleep, a small smile covering the redhead's face as she began to move in her father's arms.

"Katie" Alexis squealed, a small groan leaving the brunette's lips before she opened her eyes to see Rick, Alexis and now Martha staring at her. "Katie, you're here" Alexis smiled as her father put her down and watched as Alexis ran towards the brunette and sat down on the space Kate had now made beside her.

"How are you feeling Lex?" Kate asked, running her fingers to brush Alexis' hair away from her face, Alexis groaning as she attempted to lift her covered arm. "Broken arm?" she asked, the redhead nodding before she yawned again. "Come on trouble, let's get you up to bed. I'm sure you're really tired" she whispered, climbing off the couch as Alexis nodded and stood up.

"Will you read me a story Katie?" Alexis asked quickly, looking up at the brunette.

"I guess I could manage that but only this once because you know how much daddy loves reading you your stories" Kate admitted, looking across to see Rick smiling at her. "Say goodnight to everyone" Kate sighed as Alexis slowly walked over to hug her father with one arm before she hugged her grandmother and walked back towards Kate who quickly led her towards the stairs, noticing how exhausted the redhead was.

"She's great with Alexis" Martha commented as she looked across at her son who was still staring in the direction that Kate and Alexis had disappeared in. "You won't find someone like her again Richard" she admitted, Rick nodding again as he smiled weakly and heard movement. "I'm going to go to bed, goodnight" the older redhead yawned.

"Goodnight mother" he commented, watching as his mother disappeared in the same direction as his mother and daughter before he sighed and quickly walked towards his bedroom; knowing that Kate would go there straight after Alexis had fallen asleep. Slipping into his bedroom, the writer yawned as he quickly stripped out of his clothes except for his boxers and climbed into bed, burying himself under the covers as he switched the light off. Hearing the door creak open a few moments later, the writer sighed as he felt Kate sit down on the edge of the bed. "Come to bed" he whispered; the brunette smiling as she looked in the direction of where he was, unable to see him. Slipping her jeans off, the brunette smiled as she slid under the blanket and felt Rick's arms tightly wrap around her.

"I wanted to be here when Alexis woke up, I didn't know that you weren't home yet" she admitted against his chest as the writer murmured. "Why didn't you wake me up before you went to the hospital? I should have been there" she explained as Rick groaned.

"You're not her mom Kate, you don't have to be there twenty four seven. You don't even need to do half the stuff that you do for her. You're not here to replace her mother" he declared, regretting the moment the comment slipped out of his mouth. Moving away from him slightly, Kate shut her eyes as she turned away from him. "Kate, I love that you want to be there for Alexis but you're not her mom. I know people who are sisters with the age difference you have with Alexis" he admitted. "There's thirteen years between you two".

"You don't think I know that" she declared. "You don't think I know that my boyfriend is eight years older than me and his daughter is the right age to be my sister?" she questioned, her frustration obvious as the writer attempted to move closer to her; shocked when she removed his hand away from her body. "But I love her, I love that little girl Rick and I wanted to be there, I should have been there today" she announced, climbing out of the bed as he sat up and stared at her.

"Where are you going?" he asked, knowing that she was going to leave.

"To another room" she announced, walking out of the room as he groaned and collapsed back on the bed. He was an idiot!

**What do you think? **

**I'm not too sure but I wanted their fight to be about Alexis because she's a major part of their relationship. **

**Please review, I love hearing from you and I hope to have the next chapter up soon! Either tonight if I get a lot of reviews, Saturday if I have time after my hair is done but by Sunday there will defiantly be a new chapter, I promise!**


	43. Chapter 43

Slipping into the small coffee shop, Kate sighed as she noticed the woman who was sat waiting for her with two coffees in front of her. Walking over, the brunette smiled weakly as she took the seat opposite Lanie and relaxed; the student quickly looking across at the woman who had just joined her.

"Thanks for coming Lanie" Kate whispered, Lanie nodding as she slid one of the coffees over to the brunette. "I didn't know who else to call and I really need to talk to someone who isn't related to me or Rick" the brunette explained, Lanie nodding slowly as she relaxed in her chair; guessing that the talk would take longer than she expected.

"So what's going on with you Kate? What do you need to talk about?" the med student quickly asked, watching as Kate stared down into her coffee and rested her hands against the mug; not knowing how to start. She'd called the stranger up desperately, needing someone to talk to about everything that had happened.

"Rick and I had a fight last night" she whispered as Lanie slowly nodded, guessing the reason that Kate had called her was because of the writer. "He commented on how I wasn't Alexis' mother and how I shouldn't be doing half of the things that I do for her. He also brought up the age difference again and he was talking about how I wasn't there to replace Meredith" the brunette whispered, tears filling her eyes as Lanie slowly nodded. "Rick means the world to me Lanie. He really does and with everything that's happened recently he's been amazing but why would he say that to me?" she asked, looking up at to see Lanie just watching her in silence.

"Right Kate" Lanie commented as Kate groaned and nodded slowly, recalling the fight the previous evening and hated everything that had happened. "Do you love him?" she asked.

"More than anything Lanie" the brunette admitted as she laughed down at her coffee, thinking about how crazy she was about him. "He's the most serious relationship I've ever had and he doesn't just use me for sex, he loves me and we laugh and he makes me smile and his family are amazing and they've really been there for me recently with everything that's happened with my mom" she explained gently before groaning. "I don't want to lose Rick but why would he say those things?" she asked.

"He's an idiot for saying those things in the first place but when I saw you guys in the park, you practically were the image of a perfect couple" Lanie explained as Kate stared at her in confusion. "He continually kept an arm around your hips and he smiled at everything you said, his eyes were always on you" the student admitted as Kate smiled, thinking about how perfect everything had seemed that morning in the park. "But maybe he's concerned about Alexis".

"Concerned?" Kate asked.

"You and Alexis are extremely close" Lanie explained as Kate nodded. "Maybe he's just worried that if anything happened and you ended things, Alexis would get really hurt. I mean it's clear that her mother isn't involved in her life and you've taken on that maternal role" she declared as Kate nodded quickly, thinking about the argumentative redhead she'd met for a brief period of time. "And also you do a lot more than any girlfriend would normally do for their boyfriends child and you are only eighteen Kate, maybe he's concerned about you and how this is going to affect you" she declared. "Honestly Kate, most eighteen year olds are out with friends not spending time mothering a six year old".

"I know I'm eighteen Lanie" Kate announced, her voice highlighting her frustration of her age becoming a factor of the argument. "I don't care about how old I am because that doesn't change how much I love Rick and Alexis" the brunette admitted as Lanie smiled at how passionate she was. "I don't care about how old I am. It's just a number but these are my feelings and they mean so much more to me" she explained, tears running down her cheeks as the student quickly moved to sit beside the teenager before wrapping her arms around her. "I'm not planning on leaving him".

"You want forever with him Kate?" Lanie asked as shock covered Kate's face. Did she want forever with Rick? "Can you see forever with him?" she laughed, shocked slightly at how serious the relationship was. Staring down at her coffee, Kate remained silent as she thought about everything before she looked up to see Lanie still watching her in silence.

"I can Lanie" Kate muttered, shocking herself before she laughed. "I can see forever with him" she smiled as the other woman laughed at the large grin that was now covering Kate's face. "I'm eighteen and I'm thinking about spending forever with my boyfriend, is that normal?" Kate asked, Lanie shrugging quickly in response.

"I don't know girl but you have it bad for this one" the woman declared before standing. "Come on, I'll give you a lift back to writer boy's" she laughed, confusion covering her face before she shrugged and stood up; following the medical student quickly out of the coffee shop. "Can I ask why this coffee shop? You were pretty desperate to come here" Lanie questioned as they walked down the street together.

"It's where Rick and I first met actually" she admitted, looking around at the coffee shop before sighing. "We always get our coffee from there now, it's where we go for our coffee" the brunette explained as Lanie nodded and quickly unlocked her car; just staring at the other woman in amusement, hoping that one day she'd feel the same way for someone else.

XOXOOXOXOXOXXO

"Daddy where's Katie?" Alexis asked as she walked into the kitchen to find her father stood alone. "Daddy?" she asked again, desperately trying to get his attention. Turning around, Rick smiled weakly as he looked down at his daughter before kneeling and running his hands to her cheek. "What's wrong?" she whispered, noticing how upset her father was.

"Pumpkin, I might have done something wrong last night and I said some horrible things to Katie" he admitted, unable to lie to his daughter. The daughter who adored Kate more than anything in the world! "Katie was very upset and she wasn't here when I woke up" he declared, not surprised when his daughter quickly moved away from him, tears appearing her eyes.

"Katie's left us too?" she asked, tears silently running down her cheeks as Rick sighed and moved closer to her, not knowing what to do. It was like Meredith all over again to his little girl! "I want Katie daddy, I want Katie to come home" the redhead explained, tears running down her cheeks as she allowed her father's arms to tightly wrap his arms around her while his lips pressed a kiss into her hair. "Daddy I want Katie to come home" she sobbed.

"I know pumpkin" he muttered, his body tensing up when he heard a key in the door before it squeaked open and he stared at his daughter.

"Katie" she whispered before moving from her father before she ran out to see the brunette standing in the doorway. "Katie" she screamed, running over quickly before Kate lifted her into her arms. "You're home Katie" she muttered, burying her head into Kate's shoulder as the brunette nodded, quickly looking across to see Rick staring at her from the kitchen; guilt covering his face as she smiled at him weakly.

"I'm home Lex, I'm home" she whispered before kicking the door shut and carrying Alexis to the kitchen. "Hey" the brunette mumbled as she stared at the writer who smiled weakly at her.

"Hey" he declared before moving closer to her and running his hand to her shoulder. "You weren't here this morning; I was worried that something had happened. I was going to call your dad but I thought I'd give it a couple of hours in case you'd gone running or something" he admitted as Kate slowly nodded and sat Alexis down on a nearby chair while the redhead continued to stare at her, afraid that she was going to disappear again.

"I needed to talk to someone about last night so I met Lanie for a coffee and we went over everything that happened last night" she explained as he nodded slowly. "And later we're going to talk about that Rick because I don't want anything that came up last night to happen again" the brunette admitted, Rick nodding again as he continued to smile at her. He wasn't going to lose her and he would do whatever she wanted if it meant she was going to stay with him!

"I'm sorry for last night; I hate myself for what I said. None of it was true, I don't even know why I said it Kate" he admitted, Kate shrugging as she knelt down in front of Alexis and smiled at the redhead who was watching her carefully.

"Lex, stop looking so nervous" she whispered, leaning across to press a kiss to the redhead's cheek. "I'm not going anywhere Alexis, I'm not going to disappear again" the brunette explained as Alexis wrapped her arms around Kate's neck and began to cry. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked gently, staring up at Rick who looked down ashamed.

"Please don't leave again" Alexis begged as Kate stared at her in confusion. "Don't leave me like my mommy Katie" the six year old sobbed, Kate's head shaking gently as she ran her hands to Alexis' cheeks and quickly wiped the tears away from her face.

"Oh Lex" she whispered, her arms tightening around the small girl as Rick bit into his lip. "I promise, no matter what happens I will never leave you like your mom did. I will always be here for you pumpkin" she promised, keeping her close as Rick slowly walked over and knelt beside his daughter and girlfriend; hating himself more than ever. "How about we go out for a movie today?" she declared, a small smile covering Alexis' face as she nodded slowly before Rick groaned, remembering that he had a meeting with Gina later. "You have your meeting with Gina today" Kate thought outloud, the writer nodding quickly as she looked at Alexis who was clinging onto her hand. "How about we go out for a girls only day?" she suggested, the redhead nodding before she jumped off the chair and ran off quickly. "Is that alright?" she asked, standing to look at him as he nodded.

"Thank you" he whispered, still ashamed that he'd caused his daughter so much pain. "She loves you so much" he admitted, staring in the direction his daughter had run off in a moment ago. "Katie I was an idiot last night and I didn't even mean a word of it. I love how you're there for Alexis and I love that you want to be here when she's hurt or sick. She was devastated when I told her you weren't here because I was rude" he explained, her head shaking as she smiled at him and found his hand a moment later.

"We'll talk about it properly later" she admitted, leaning forward to press a kiss to his cheek. "We've got through worse Rick, we can get through this as well" the brunette admitted before she heard the small girl run towards them again.

"Katie I can't do my shoes" Alexis moaned, staring down at her pink cast as the brunette laughed and quickly knelt down to help the redhead who was smiling at her. "I hate my arm today Katie" she admitted, Kate laughing as she stared at the pink cast and smiled.

"You two have fun today" Rick announced, Kate nodding slowly as Alexis smiled up at her father. Moving quickly, the writer sighed as he quickly found his wallet and began to take cash out.

"Rick no" Kate complained before he shook his head and passed her the money. "I don't need that much money for the movies" the teenager admitted as he stared at her and smiled.

"Kate, get something for lunch as well" the writer declared as he looked across at his daughter who was attempting to put her jacket on. "I feel really bad right now so can you please accept the money and go and make my daughter smile again?" he begged before walking over and helping Alexis with her jacket. "You have fun today pumpkin" he smiled, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek as the redhead nodded.

"Bye daddy" Alexis smiled as Kate quickly took hold of her hand and smiled across at the writer.

"I'll see you tonight" Kate whispered, the writer nodding quickly as he walked over and noticed that she was still wearing her charm bracelet around her wrist. It was becoming a common feature of Kate, along with the necklace that rested around her neck with her mother's ring on. "I love you" she mumbled gently.

"I love you too Kate, I love you so much" he declared, pressing a kiss to her forehead before Kate nodded and led Alexis silently out of the apartment.

XOOXOXOXXOXOOXO

"Will you draw on my cast Katie? It's boring" Alexis asked as they walked into the park, the brunette nodding as she dug through her purse and pulled out a pen that she'd put in there at some time in the past. Sitting down on the grass, Kate nodded as Alexis sat beside her quickly and held her arm out in amusement. Staring down at the bright pink cast, Kate laughed gently before she began to carefully draw flowers on the cast as Alexis watched in amazement. "I missed you this morning" the redhead admitted, returning both their thoughts to that morning.

"I know Lex, I missed you too" Kate smiled, looking across at the redhead. "You know how much I love you sweetheart, I never meant to hurt you when I left this morning" the brunette explained, leaning across to kiss her cheek gently before sighing and returning to her drawing. Remaining silent, the brunette relaxed as heard Alexis beginning to hum something that she recognised from somewhere. "What song is that Lex?" she asked quickly as Alexis quickly declared the title.

"Daddy used to sing it to me when I was little" Alexis explained as Kate smiled and nodded.

"My mom used to sing to me when I was younger" Kate admitted as Alexis stared at her. "She used to sing it when I was sick as well, it was the only song that would calm me down" the brunette explained as Alexis nodded slowly. "It reminded me of home; I used to hum it whenever I was away from my mom" Kate whispered as Alexis cuddled up against her.

"Do you love my daddy Katie?" Alexis asked gently.

"I love him so much Alexis, he's very special to me" she declared as she gently wrapped an arm around the six year old. "And I love you so much as well sweetheart, nothing is ever going to change that" she admitted, Alexis squealing when Kate quickly began to tickle the young girl. Running across the park, Alexis laughed as Kate quickly stood up and ran after her; laughing when she caught up with her and smiled. "How about we head home sweetheart? I'm sure your daddy is waiting for us and will want to know all about the movie" Kate commented as Alexis nodded and quickly took hold of her hand.

"The movie was cool" Alexis commented as they began to walk out of the park.

"It was cool" Kate laughed as she felt Alexis' hand tightened around hers. "I think it was defiantly one of my favourite movies but I think it was more the day in general" she smiled as confusion covered Alexis' face. "I had a lot of fun with you today Lex, we should do it again" Kate rephrased as the redhead nodded and looked up at Kate. "We defiantly need more girly days".

"Yes" Alexis smiled, walking carefully down the street with the teenager. "Katie what do you want to be when your older?" the redhead asked as the brunette sighed and looked across, smiling when she noticed two uniformed cops walking down the other side of the street.

"Right now sweetheart I don't know but I'm beginning to get an idea" she admitted, Alexis nodding as they entered the apartment building together; smiling when they noticed Rick standing by the lift.

"Daddy" Alexis called out, the writer quickly turning as a smile covered his face. "Look at my arm" she laughed as she ran over and showed her father the flowers that now covered her arm while Kate slowly joined them.

"Wow, it looks really pretty pumpkin" the writer declared as Alexis beamed and laughed when Kate finally reached them. "Did Katie draw them for you?" he asked, the redhead quickly nodding as Kate laughed at how excited Alexis was over some simple drawings of flowers that now covered the pink cast. "So was today fun?" he asked, Alexis nodding again as Rick laughed at his daughter's excitement.

"It was really fun daddy" Alexis explained as they entered the lift together. "We went and got burgers for lunch as well, we drew smiley faces in the ketchup when we finished eating" she admitted as she looked across at Kate who was smiling at her while Rick laughed gently. "Katie loves you so much daddy" Alexis admitted as Kate groaned, knowing that Rick was staring at her in amazement. "She says your special".

"Did she now Alexis?" Rick asked as the redhead nodded, his eyes looking across to see Kate staring away in embarrassment. "Can you tell Katie something for me?" he asked as his daughter nodded, remaining still as her father knelt down beside her and whispered something in her ear; confusion covering Kate's face as she watched the interaction before Rick stood up and watched as Alexis approached Kate, unable to say her father's comment when the doors opened. Walking out of the lift, Kate sighed as she followed the writer and Alexis. "Alexis" Rick declared as they stopped outside the door.

"Oh yeah" the redhead laughed before turning to face the brunette. "Katie, daddy says he loves you more than anything in the world and he's sorry for all the bad things he said" she repeated as Kate looked up at the writer and smiled weakly. "And he hopes that you forgive him for everything he did wrong because…"she added before falling silent, unable to remember what her father had told her.

"Because I love it when I wake up next to you in the morning and fall asleep next to you" he explained before unlocking the door and watching as Alexis ran into the apartment. Walking towards the door, Kate stopped when the writer slipped his arm around her. "I love the way you make me laugh and how you cuddle up beside me when we're watching movies. I adore how much you look after my daughter and how she loves being around you" he declared, moving closer to her as the writer sighed. "I was a bastard last night and you can hit me and hate me and scream at me but please don't stop loving me Kate, please don't take yourself away from me because I was stupid last night" he declared.

"I love you" she mumbled, running her hand to his cheek. "I don't want to awake up alone again Rick, I don't want to wake up angry with you again" she admitted as tears ran down her cheeks. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Kate laughed when he lifted her off the ground slightly. "My mom used to say never go to bed angry and I understand why now Rick" she admitted, the writer nodding quickly as her feet touched the ground again. "It's a horrible feeling".

"I know" he muttered gently as she laughed and ran her fingers through his hair. "I was a bastard last night" he admitted as she nodded slowly. "Do you want to hit me?" he asked.

"No" she declared. "I don't want to be angry anymore, I just want to get on with our lives. It's too short to fight about stupid things that people didn't mean when they said it" she explained, the writer nodding slowly as she sighed and hugged him. "Lanie said something this morning which got me thinking" she admitted as he nodded slowly, his eyes locking with hers as she smiled gently.

"Want to tell me what she said?" he asked the brunette, her head nodding slowly as she laughed gently and stared down at their feet for a brief moment before looking up at him.

"She asked me if I could see you as forever and I told her yes, I told her that I could see us having forever with each other" she laughed, the writer smiling as his arms tightened around her waist before she quickly leant up and kissed him. "I've never thought about forever with a guy before Rick".

"Sometimes it just depends on whether you're with the right guy or not Katie" he whispered against her lips ass he laughed.

"So are you saying that you're Mr Right Rick?" she asked carefully as the writer laughed before they began to lean in for another kiss.

"Daddy, Katie" Alexis screamed, a laugh leaving both their lips before they slipped into the apartment together; their fingers laced as they remained close to each other, knowing they couldn't be angry with each other anymore.

**I'm not particularly sure on this chapter but although Rick was a complete bastard in the last chapter I didn't want to have them really angry with each other, in a way I just wanted them to be able to work around the issue. Hopefully you like it but if you don't, I can replace it with something else but I attempted to write an angry chapter and it never worked so I hope you enjoy this. **

**Also thank you for your amazing response to the last chapter and I hope to hear from you in response to this chapter! **


	44. Chapter 44

**Someone said they wanted a chapter involving the press so what better than an event where Rick is of course going to be the most popular bachelor around and Kate's going to be lost. Hopefully you enjoy this chapter all though it does become quite dark later on so hopefully you still like it and please review, I love hearing from you! **

"What do you think?" Kate smiled as she walked down the stairs and smiled down at the two redhead's who were staring up at her with large grins covering their faces. "Will he like it?" she quickly muttered as Martha laughed and nodded; hearing the door open down the corridor. Listening to Rick's footsteps, the brunette watched as he quickly appeared; staring down at his tie as he attempted to tie it.

"Kate hurry…" he began before he looked up to see her standing on the stair. "Oh wow" he muttered as Kate laughed gently before her teeth caught her bottom lip. Approaching the bottom step, the writer continued to stare at her as he took in the black dress she was wearing that clung to her figure perfectly while her dark hair was pinned back, her mother's ring decorated her neck while her charm bracelet rested around her wrist. "You look extraordinary Katie" he whispered, reaching her finally as she continued to stare at him before her hands gently ran to his shoulders. "Every woman in the room is going to be looking at you and every man is going to be so envious of me because you're going to be my date" he admitted, her head shaking as she quickly kissed him gently; Alexis' groaning pulling them apart a few moments later.

"Come on love birds, you have an event to get too and you don't want to arrive just as it's ending" Martha laughed as Kate and Rick walked down the stairs slowly, arms linked as Rick smiled proudly every time he turned to look at Kate. "Richard you look handsome as always and Kate, you look stunning" the redhead declared proudly, quickly pressing a kiss to Rick's cheek before she moved to kiss Kate as well. "Have fun" she smiled.

"You two behave tonight, no staying up late and no sugar now because you've had dinner and we don't need you to be cranky in the morning" Rick laughed as he watched Alexis run over and wrap her arms around Kate.

"Richard you better just be talking about Alexis" Martha warned as he shook his head and knelt down to press a kiss to his daughter's cheek.

"No staying up late mother and no sugar" he repeated, Kate smiling as she watched the older redhead's eyebrows rising before she shook her head and disappeared into the kitchen. "And no drinking, I don't need her to break her other arm tonight" he called after her, the redhead reappearing before Alexis laughed and ran off to join her grandmother. "Shall we go?" Rick asked as Kate nodded and allowed him to tightly wrap his arm around her hips again.

"You won't leave me alone will you when the press is around? I don't think I can deal with the press alone, not since the last time" she explained as the writer quickly nodded and hit the button for the lift before turning to look at the brunette; his hand running to rest against her cheek. "I'm terrified about this, why did I let you talk me into going with you tonight?" she laughed as they entered the lift together slowly before he gently kissed her, her arms wrapping around his neck as they deepened the kiss.

"Because you love me and this is part of who I am Kate" he answered as she shrugged and kissed him again before the doors to the elevator opened and he began to lead her out. "I can't believe how beautiful you look" he admitted as she shrugged and remained close to him, unable to take his eyes off her as they stopped for a moment.

"We're never going to get anywhere if all you keep stopping to look at me" she explained, the writer shrugging instead before he kissed her again. "Come on writer man, we better make an appearance at this event and I want to meet all your famous writer friends" she admitted, the writer groaning before they slowly began to walk out of the building together.

XOXOXOOXOXOX

"Richard, Richard Castle" the crowd of photographers screamed as the car pulled up, Kate's head turning to look at the writer who smiled at her before leaning across and gently pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Are you ready Kate?" Rick whispered as the brunette nodded and grabbed hold of his hand. "Just smile, I won't go of your hand I promise" he explained as Kate nodded again and watched as he pushed the car door open and slipped out; the brunette following him out of the vehicle a few moments later as the cameras continued to flash at them. Squeezing her hand gently, the writer smiled as he began to lead her down the path towards the building, listening as his name was still called out by the crowd of people. "You're going to be everywhere tomorrow" he whispered to her as she nodded slowly.

"I know but it's okay if I'm doing it for you and we're choosing to do this together" she admitted before leaning across to press a kiss to his cheek, laughing when the reporters cheered. "I'm never going to get used to that though" she whispered in his ear as the writer nodded.

"You learn to block them out Kate, I promise" he announced before pushing the door open and waiting as she walked into the building and stared at the crowd of people who were laughing around her. "Come on Kate, I'll introduce you to everyone I know" he explained, taking her hand before he led her towards two women he immediately recognised. "Kate, you remember Gina and this is Paula" the writer smiled as Kate nodded weakly, staring at the two women who were already staring at her.

"So this is the woman who's taken Richard Castle off the bachelor list?" Paula commented as she stared at the brunette who was cuddled up beside the writer. "I'm Paula, I'm sure you'll hear more about me in the future when this one starts writing his next novel" the woman explained as Kate nodded slowly and looked up at Rick who was listening carefully with a small smile covering his face. "So where did you two meet and why am I just meeting her Richard?"

"We met in a coffee shop seven months ago and we've spent practically every day together since" the writer admitted as he stared down at her proudly while Paula and Gina continued to watch them. "It was nice seeing you both again but I want to introduce Kate to some other people as well, have a good evening" he declared, leading Kate away as the two women remained silent.

"She's not his usual type" Paula admitted as Gina sighed.

"She'll never last, no one ever lasts with Richard" the blonde commented as Paula laughed. "What's funny?" she snapped as Paula stared at her in amusement.

"We all know that you want this to fail because you like Rick in more than a writer publisher way" Paula laughed as Gina glared at her. "Now I am going looking for some champagne and some good looking single men with a nice amount of money" the woman declared before walking off, the blonde's eyes rolling before she laughed and followed Gina; deciding that Paula had the right idea for the evening.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Sitting at the table, Kate watched as the writer laughed with a group of people he'd introduced her to earlier that evening; confusion running through her veins as she watched one of the tall blonde women rest their hand on Rick's shoulder while they continued to laugh at whatever Rick had just said. Looking across the room, the writer sighed as he noticed how Kate was sat alone at a nearby table, guilt taking over him as he began to move towards her.

"Richard come and dance with me, I want to dance" the blonde beside him smiled as she grabbed his hand and began to lead him towards the dance floor; his head turning to see a younger man approaching Kate as the brunette stared at him for a moment before nodding and taking the man's hand. He was obviously closer to Kate's age than he was and he could feel the jealousy building up inside him. Feeling the woman wrap her arms around his neck, the writer continued to watch as Kate began to dance with the younger man as she began to laugh at something he'd said. "Richard, are we going to dance?" the woman asked.

"Yes of course, of course we're going to dance" he stuttered, beginning to dance as he continued to watch his girlfriend dance with the younger man with a large smile covering her face. Hearing the song finish, the writer began to move away from the woman, groaning when she tightened her arms around him. "Look, it's lovely to meet you but…" he began, falling silent as he watched Kate nod and follow the man away from the doorway. "But…" he attempted to say again, attempting to follow Kate with his eyes but losing her a few moments later. "Excuse me" he whispered as he moved away from her and quickly walked in the direction Kate had disappeared in a few moments later. Seeing Gina, the writer quickly approached her in desperation, not knowing where Kate had gone. "Gina have you seen Kate?" he asked quickly.

"No" the blonde smiled before laughing. "Has she left you already Richard?" she smiled, the writer groaning as he moved away from the woman who had clearly had too much to drink before he continued to look around. Where was she? Had she really left with another man? Shaking his head, he groaned as he walked towards the door; hoping that she had disappeared into another room to get away from the crowd or something. Opening the door, the writer sighed as he stepped through and shut the door behind him, staring down at the corridor in front of him.

"I don't want too" a familiar voice sobbed as he looked around desperately before he heard someone scream. "Get off, please get off" the woman screamed, shock covering Rick's face as he ran down the corridor as the sobbing got louder. "Stop" the voice begged as the writer quickly pushed the door open to find the man pressing Kate against the wall while his pants remained unbuttoned. Running over, the writer quickly pulled the man off as Kate's arms wrapped around him; her head burying into his shoulder as she continued to sob.

"Stay the hell away from my girlfriend" he screamed as he stared at the man. "I should call the police you bastard" he declared, Kate's head shaking as she stared up at the writer.

"I want to go home, can we go home Rick? I want to get out of here please, I want to go home now" she begged, the writer nodding slowly as he pulled his jacket off and wrapped it around her, leading her out of the room as the other man continued to laugh.

"She wanted it, even if she won't admit it. She doesn't want an old man like you, she wants someone fun and who can actually show her a good time" he smirked, Rick groaning before he turned and smashed his fist into the man's cheek, Kate screaming as she reached across and took hold of his hands; not wanting to see him do something that would get him into trouble as well.

"Rick please, let's go home" she whispered, the writer nodding as she led him out of the room. Standing in the empty corridor, the writer sighed as Kate's arms wrapped around him. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I don't even know why I went with him" she admitted as he nodded and pressed a kiss into her hair, not surprised that the curls had fallen out and were now framing her face. "Oh god he was going to…" she choked as she took in everything that might have happened if the writer hadn't been there.

"Don't think about it, don't think about what could have happened" he whispered as he wrapped an arm around her waist and led her towards the fire exit, knowing better than to take her out of the front door where the press would be waiting. Walking into the street, Kate sighed as she felt the cold air against her skin before the writer began to lead her out of the alley in search of a cab. Flagging down a cab quickly, the writer sighed as he opened the door and watched as Kate slid into the vehicle with silent tears running down her cheeks before he joined her and wrapped his arms around her. "You're okay Katie, you're going to be fine I promise" he soothed as she began to cry against him, unable to stop herself.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Hearing the apartment door open, Martha stood as she watched her son carry the brunette into the apartment, worry filling her veins as she heard sobbing coming from the brunette. Walking over, the redhead watched as Rick stared at her nervously before carrying Kate down the corridor towards his bedroom, Martha following him in silence.

"What happened?" the redhead asked as the writer rested the brunette on the bed before gently pressing a kiss to her forehead before he led his mother out of the room. "What's going on Richard?" she asked as Rick groaned and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Someone tried to attack her at the party" he admitted, confusion covering her face as she looked towards the bedroom.

"Attack her?" she asked in confusion.

"A guy had her pinned up against the wall and his pants were undone" he admitted as shock covered her face before she wrapped her arms around her son, knowing that he would be beating himself up inside about what happened. "Can you talk to her please? I don't know whether she'll want to talk to me about this and a motherly figure might be better than me at the moment" he explained as the redhead nodded and looked across at the daughter. "I'm going to go and make her a hot chocolate" he admitted, Martha nodding as she watched her son disappear before she entered the bedroom to see Kate sat up on the bed as her mascara ran down her face.

"Oh darling" Martha sighed as Kate bit into her bottom lip and stared at the redhead who sat down beside her. "Why don't we get this make up off your face?" she smiled as Kate nodded slowly and watched as the redhead disappeared into the en-suite for a moment before returning and moving closer to the teenager. "Do you want to talk about it Kate?" she asked as the brunette sighed and felt Martha run the tissue across her face to remove the mascara.

"Rick was talking to this group and I felt jealous, especially when this woman kept getting closer to him and had her hands all over him" she admitted as Martha continued to wipe the make-up away. "He came over and asked me whether I would like to dance and he seemed nice, he made me laugh and I just wanted someone to talk to because everyone Rick knew was avoiding me" she admitted as Martha nodded slowly, knowing what it felt to be alone in the crowd especially when young. She had been a starting actress once and she knew what it was like to be lost in the crowd. "We were dancing and when the song finished I was moaning because I was beginning to get a headache and he said he knew somewhere quiet where I could go and he said that he could keep me company if I wanted and I said yes because I didn't want to be on my own" she sighed.

"Kate, you didn't do anything wrong" Martha stated as Kate slowly shook her head.

"I shouldn't have gone with him, I didn't even know his name and then we walked in the room and he started to grab at my dress and then I was against the wall and he was undoing his pants and he kept telling me things that he was going to do to me" she explained as tears ran down her cheeks, Martha's arms wrapping around her as Kate rested against her. "I don't know what would have happened if Rick hadn't have come to find me".

"Kate, you're okay now. That guy isn't coming anywhere near you again" the redhead smiled at her before she relaxed. "He was a bastard who didn't know how to treat a woman properly and he won't be coming anywhere near you again. Rick will make sure of that and I'm sure he'll think of something to come back and bite that bastard in the ass" she admitted as Kate nodded slowly and sighed. Hearing a knock at the door, Kate looked up to see Rick standing in the doorway with a guilty smile covering his face as he held a mug in his hands. "I'm going to go if you want me too" Martha whispered as Kate nodded slowly and smiled weakly when Martha gently pressed a kiss into her hair. "I'll be upstairs if you want me sweetheart".

"Thank you Martha" Kate muttered before the redhead walked out of the room in silence. "What's that?" the brunette asked as she stared at the mug Rick was holding.

"I know it's not brilliant but it's my miracle cure apparently" Rick admitted as he walked over and passed the hot chocolate to her, Kate smiling at the smiley face Rick had made with marshmallows. "It's a smiley face hot chocolate" he explained, pressing a kiss to Kate's forehead as she smiled gently at her and held her close. "Only special people get smiley face hot chocolates" he admitted as she cuddled up against him and took a sip of the hot chocolate, not wanting to move out of his arms. "I should have been there".

"I should have been more careful Rick, I'm sorry" she mumbled before he shook his head and stared down at her.

"Don't you dare apologise Kate, you did nothing wrong last night and we need to talk about whether you want to go to the cops about this" he explained, her head shaking immediately before she took another sip of the hot chocolate and shut her eyes.

"I just want to forget it ever happened and move on" she admitted as the writer nodded. "And most of all I want to get out of this dress and lock it away for a long time before cuddling up with my boyfriend for the night in our bed" she explained as he took the mug from her and moved it to the bedside table before he found the zip of her dress and gently undid it as she sighed and stood up to step out of the black material. "Can I ask you something?" she asked, the writer nodding quickly as she stared at him. "Can I have your batman t-shirt? It always smells of you and I need that" she admitted, the writer laughing before he reached across and dug it out of the drawer before throwing it at her; his focus moving to removing his own clothes as Kate slipped his batman t-shirt on and slipped into the bed carefully before the writer joined her.

"I broke my promise tonight, I'm sorry Katie" he muttered as Kate shook her head and allowed him to tightly wrap his arms around her body. "I even saw you go off with him and I tried to keep my eyes on you but you disappeared, I should have come after you quicker Kate, if I had been a better boyfriend I would have kept you by my side" he explained as she gently pressed her lips to his cheek and stared at him.

"No! There is nothing you can do to make it go away Rick but you got there before anything happened. He didn't touch me Rick, he didn't come closer than pressing me against the wall. He was too busy thinking about himself to do anything to me" she explained, hating herself for describing it as it brought all the memories back to her. "Can we please forget it ever happened?" she asked, his head nodding slowly before she quickly added. "Don't tell my dad".

"I promise" he whispered, feeling her relax as he kept her close, unable to sleep. If he'd been a few minutes slower, if he hadn't made it in time, his girlfriend wouldn't be as relaxed as she was now.

**So what do you think? I'm not sure but I wanted to develop the drama a bit and this was the first thing that came to me! **


	45. Chapter 45

Entering her son's bedroom, Martha sighed as she looked at her son, who was wide awake in bed, his fingers playing with Kate's hair while she rested against him with a small smile covering her face. Clearing her voice, the redhead watched as both Kate and Rick looked at her quickly before sitting up, Kate yawning as Martha smiled at her gently.

"I'm sorry to disturb you but there's someone on the phone for you Kate" Martha explained as the brunette nodded and reached across for the phone beside the bed as the redhead slipped out of the bed, Kate smiling when she felt Rick's arms wrap around her body before he rested his forehead against her shoulder.

"Hello" Kate yawned down the phone as she relaxed back against the writer's body, enjoying the security he gave her.

"Girl, you're on the front of every half decent paper in New York" Lanie declared in amusement as Kate remained silent for a moment. "You looked amazing last night, that dress was hot and writer boy looked pretty good as well actually. You were defiantly the best looking couple there" she laughed as Kate smiled, knowing that Rick could properly hear everything Lanie was saying from how loud she was speaking. "So tell me everything about last night? Did you meet anyone really famous that I've heard of?" she laughed as Kate sighed and ran her fingers through her hair before she moved out of the writer's arms.

"I don't really want to talk about last night Lanie" Kate admitted, both Kate and Rick thinking about the events of the previous evening.

"Kate is everything okay?" the student asked quickly as Kate shut her eyes and heard Rick slipping out of the bed before he disappeared into the en-suite. "Kate? What's going on?" Lanie asked, her voice becoming more worried as the brunette bit into her lip, desperately trying to stop herself from crying. "Did you and Rick have another fight?" she suggested, trying to guess what had upset the brunette so much to stop her from telling her everything about the previous night.

"No, we're fine Lanie" Kate sighed. "Just some things happened last night that I'd rather forget" she admitted, hearing the woman groan as the brunette watched the writer leave the en-suite before quickly blowing a kiss at her before he walked out of the room.

"Do you want to meet up somewhere to talk about it?" Lanie asked, her voice slightly calmer as Kate rested against the headboard of the bed and sighed. "I don't mind where Kate, it just sounds like you need to unload" the medical student explained as Kate smiled before nodding.

"I need to unload" she admitted to herself before they fell silent. "I don't really feel like leaving here today but you could always come for coffee" Kate suggested, laughing when Lanie squealed. "What's with the excitement?" she asked quickly.

"Hello! Richard Castle is a millionaire in the making! I want to see what his home is like" Lanie declared like it was the most obvious thing in the whole world. "Come on give me a sneak peek before I arrive" she smiled as Kate looked around her and sighed.

"It's like the bat cave Lanie" Kate giggled as Lanie smiled. "How about you come in an hour? I need to wake up before you arrive" she admitted as Lanie murmured in agreement before Kate gave her the address and they both said goodbye, the phone going down a few moments later. Slipping out of the bed, Kate sighed as she pulled on a pair of Rick's sweats and quickly walked out of the room to see Rick, Martha and Alexis all stood in the kitchen. "What's going on in here?" she asked quickly, the writer turning to look at her before smiling and walking over to her; his lips gently pressing a kiss to her forehead before she sighed.

"We're making you a special breakfast Katie" Alexis blurted out before she covered her mouth, knowing she shouldn't have said it as Kate smiled weakly at her, knowing exactly what Rick was attempting to do.

"Thank you sweetheart" Kate smiled before she looked across at the writer to see the look that was covering his face. "There was no need to make me a special breakfast though. I'm quite happy with toast or cereal like a normal person" she admitted as Martha rolled her eyes and quickly hugged the brunette. "Lanie's coming over in an hour for coffee" the brunette explained as Rick nodded quickly. "I hope you don't mind me just inviting her into your home, I just didn't feel like going out today".

"Kate darling, you practically live here, you're welcome to invite whoever you like around" Martha explained before she left the kitchen, Rick nodding in agreement before he wrapped his arms around the brunette and pressed a kiss into her hair.

"So Lanie's coming around?" Rick asked as Kate slowly nodded and stared up at her boyfriend who was watching her nervously. "You okay? Anything going on I should know about?" he whispered, his concern obvious in his voice as she smiled weakly before gently pressing a kiss to his lips.

"I'm fine, I just need some girly time Rick" she admitted as the writer nodded and quickly wrapped his arms around her. "I need to talk to someone about last night and she offered" she whispered when they pulled apart.

"You can talk to me Kate" he declared, obviously worried that she was shutting him out

"I know and I will" she explained, kissing him gently after she finished speaking. "You better keep an eye on breakfast, we don't want to burn my special breakfast" she admitted, the writer nodding as he quickly walked off to check on their food. Feeling someone pull on her t-shirt, Kate quickly looked down to see Alexis staring at her. "Hey" Kate laughed, kneeling down the hug the six year old as Alexis smiled. "How's your arm this morning?" she asked quickly.

"It hurts" Alexis admitted. "I need a big Katie cuddle" she added, a small laugh leaving Kate's lips before she tightly wrapped her arms around the redhead; the writer chuckling as he watched the interaction between the two before plating up their breakfast.

"Breakfast is served beautiful ladies" he announced, Kate smiling as she stood up and watched Alexis run towards the table in excitement.

XOXOOXOXXOXO

"Now this is cool" Lanie laughed as Kate shut the door behind them and began to lead the medical student towards the couch where she'd been sat only a few moments before hand. Martha had returned to bed to get a few more hours sleep and Rick was helping Alexis with some drawings she wanted to finish. "Girl, you are super lucky".

"Lanie, I don't live here" Kate smiled, sitting herself down on the couch before Lanie joined her with her eyebrows raised. "Okay recently it's been like I live her but all my stuff is at home with my and I go back to get clothes and things" she explained, surprised how much the other woman had gotten out of her without even saying anything. "That was impressive, how did you do that?" she asked.

"I have powers of getting people to talk, it took me forever to perfect them" she laughed, Kate nodding slowly as she heard running around upstairs. "Alexis?" she asked.

"Rick probably, he sounds like a herd of elephants when he runs" she admitted, confusion covering Lanie's face before she nodded slowly and watched the brunette for a moment.

"So what happened last night that you need to unload?" Lanie asked, deciding not to skim around the issue and to force herself in.

"Can we go somewhere more private? I don't want Alexis to hear about what happened because she'll want to know things and it's not the sort of information I want broadcasted everywhere" Kate admitted as Lanie nodded quickly and followed Kate into Rick's office; shock covering Lanie's face as she looked around. "Yeah, this is apparently where the magic happens" Kate laughed, sitting herself down on the old couch that was in the corner, Lanie joining her again as Kate shut her eyes. "This guy attempted too…" she began before shaking her head.

"Take your time, I've not got anywhere to be today" Lanie admitted calmly, noticing how distressed the brunette was over the information.

"Last night was amazing to start with, it was like this whole new world full of people I could never have dreamed as being in the same room with but by the end Rick kept getting pulled away from me to talk to people and I was sat at a table alone. This woman kept flirting with Rick and I got jealous" she explained, Lanie nodding slowly as she took in everything Kate was saying. "This guy came over and he asked me if I wanted to dance and I agreed because he seemed nice and he was the first person to pay attention to me that night" she admitted, a small shiver running through her body as she remembered how that man had touched her and held her close as they danced to the music gently. "I complained about having a headache and he took me to another room away from all the people and then he tried to…" she sobbed, Lanie's arms wrapping around her as she guessed what happened next.

"He didn't hurt you?" Lanie whispered as Kate quickly shook her head.

"Rick got there before he had the chance too. He had me pinned to the wall and he had already undone the pants, I was terrified but I didn't know what to do. I just completely froze" she admitted as Lanie continued to nod slowly, shocked about what her new friend was telling her about the previous evening.

"The bastard" Lanie hissed, a small laugh leaving Kate's lips as she nodded and sat back up, her hands immediately running to her face to wipe away the stray tears.

"Rick told him not to come anywhere near me again or he would call the cops but the guy said something about me and Rick smacked him in the face" she explained as Lanie nodded slowly. "I've never seen him that angry before".

"Well I don't blame him and that bastard better stay away from you" Lanie announced her anger obvious as Kate just watched her in shock. "What made him think he had the right to do that? If he comes near you again, he's going to not just have to deal with Rick as well. I read a case once about this woman who was assaulted and she met the guy again and cut his penis off" the medical student explained as Kate's eyebrows rose in shock. "The best bit was the fact that the guy survived" she added as Kate slowly began to nod. "And as a medical student, I have access to scalpels and all sorts of sharp instruments that could remove that bastards pride and joy if he even tried to say hello to you" she smiled; Kate laughing as she nodded slowly and quickly hugged the student again.

"Thanks Lanie" Kate whispered, the dark haired woman shrugging before they pulled apart just as the doors opened and Rick entered the room. "Rick you remember Lanie" Kate smiled as the writer nodded before looking across at Kate's red cheeks.

"Are you okay Katie?" he asked.

"I'm fine, I just got emotional again in" she explained, the writer nodding slowly as she smiled at him before standing and tightly wrapping her arms around him for a moment. "Can you make some coffee?" she asked, knowing that he needed to do something and was beginning to feel useless because she was telling someone else everything.

"Of course, any particular way you like your coffee?" Rick asked across to Lanie who shrugged quickly.

"As long as it's full of that special caffeine goodness, I'll have it whatever way it comes to me in" she laughed, Rick nodding as he began to walk out of the room. "Kate go and follow him, you know you want too" Lanie hissed, Kate smiling as she nodded and ran out of the room.

"Rick wait" she called out, the writer stopping as she quickly wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. "Tonight, we can talk all about it tonight" she admitted against his lips as the writer nodded and held her close for a moment. "Just because I'm unloading to Lanie, it doesn't mean that I'm shutting you out Rick" she explained as the writer nodded again and hugged her tighter before she laughed. "Right, it's bad hosting if I leave our guest alone for too long but I promise, tonight we'll have a proper heart to heart" she smiled, the writer quickly kissing her before she walked back into the office to see Lanie smirking at her.

"You have it bad girl" Lanie commented as Kate nodded and jumped back into her seat on the couch.

"Honestly, I don't care" she laughed as Lanie watched her. "Rick and I get stronger every day we're together and I love how bad I have it for him" the brunette explained as Lanie laughed and watched her for a moment. "Keeps things good for when we're alone" she smiled as her friend's eyebrows rose in amusement.

"So things are good in that department then?" Lanie asked as Kate nodded.

"They're amazing but I don't have anything to compare him too so I wouldn't know whether he's good in comparison to other guys but I think he's pretty extraordinary" she admitted, a small blush covering her cheeks as Lanie stared at her in shock.

"That is so cute that he's your first and you're crazy about him" Lanie admitted as Kate laughed and slowly nodded, enjoying having someone to girly talk with for the first time in a while. "Where did you first do it? Was it somewhere romantic?" she asked, Kate laughing as she bit into her bottom lip gently and remembered everything surrounding their first time.

"We attempted when we were at his home in the Hamptons but I freaked before anything could happen and he was so nice about I but then he went on a two week book tour and I missed him so my parents paid for me to go out and visit him in Miami and the first night we were there it just seemed to be the perfect time" she explained as Lanie sighed in content, enjoying the story as Rick walked in with the two coffees.

"Two coffees" he explained, Kate nodding as she took a mug from him and smiled. Hearing running, Kate turned as the door flew open and Alexis ran in dressed in yellow and black; Lanie laughing when Alexis ran into her father's legs and jumped back slightly. "Pumpkin what are you doing?" he asked, confusion covering his face as he watched his daughter. "And you weren't wearing this earlier" he commented, Alexis nodding quickly as she began to jump on the spot.

"I'm a bee daddy" she cheered, Kate's eyes rolling as Lanie continued to laugh at the redhead. "Bees buzz like this daddy" she explained before showing her father the interaction while Kate continued to smile at the small girl strangely proud. "Bye daddy, bye Katie" she explained before looking at Lanie, the concentration that covered her face making everyone laugh gently. "Bye Lanie" she cheered before she ran out again.

"Did you give her sugar or something?" Kate immediately asked as Rick shook his head and pressed a kiss into her dark hair before silently leaving the room. "She's not normally like that" Kate admitted as Lanie nodded slowly and laughed into her coffee.

"It's never quiet here is it?" Lanie observed as Kate shook her head and took a sip of the warm liquid. "You're a part of this family, you know" she commented as Kate bit into her bottom lip and nodded.

"I'm beginning to realise that" she smiled, relaxing back as Lanie just laughed at her gently. "What was your first time like?" she asked.

"Complete rubbish" the medical student exclaimed as Kate laughed. "I would have rather have waited for someone I really liked than on the older guy I slept with who couldn't even remember my name the following morning" she explained as Kate's eyebrows rose.

"Was there drinking involved?" she asked.

"Of course there was drinking involved, I wouldn't have slept with him otherwise. Honestly, he hardly washed his hair" she admitted, Kate laughing as the medical student just rolled her eyes. "He was disgusting and I've just removed the memory, it was too horrific to even think about, I have shivers running down my spine from the horror of those events" she explained as Kate continued to smile, inside glad that she'd waited for the right guy.

XOOXOXOXOXOXO

Stepping out of the en-suite that night, Rick smiled as the sight of the woman who was sat crossed legged on his bed with a bowl resting on her legs; a small smile covering her face as she watched him walk over in just his boxers and take the space beside her.

"You have popcorn" he observed, looking down into the bowl to find the food staring up at him. "Why do you have popcorn?" he asked, watching as Kate hit the remote and showed him the movie that was playing on the screen. "Oh my god, I love you" he explained, kissing her gently as she laughed and rested against him when he finally relaxed back against the headboard as Indiana Jones took over the room. "So can we talk through this or are we treating it like we're actually at the movies"? he asked quickly as Kate smiled and looked up at him before her lips moved to his again.

"Well I've seen this movie a million times before so I'm quite happy to talk" she explained, taking her place against him again as he took a handful of popcorn and began to eat, enjoying the warmth of her against him. "It was nice having Lanie here" she admitted as the writer murmured in agreement. "I think I needed to talk to a girl about things, I love you but sometimes I need to talk to my friends before I unload to you" she said gently as he nodded slowly and sighed into her hair.

"Do you want to unload to me now?" he asked, hoping they'd be able to discuss something about the previous evening. "I'm not going to pressurize you into talking to me Kate, I just don't want you to feel like you can't…." he began, falling silent when she quickly kissed him; her hands moving to move the popcorn away from them. "Talk to me" he whispered when she finally pulled away from him.

"Last night was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life and I don't know what I'd have done if you hadn't come looking for me Rick" she admitted as he nodded slowly, not surprised when tears began to appear in her eyes. "If he'd done what we knew he was going to do, I don't think I could have recovered from that" she admitted, relaxing when his arms tightly wrapped around her body. "Thank you for saving me Rick" she whispered, the writer nodding slowly before he pressed a kiss into her cherry scented hair.

"When I saw you against that wall, I was terrified" he admitted, knowing he needed to get his own feelings out. "I was terrified that something had happened or that you were hurt and I wanted to kill him, I wanted to kill him for even thinking he had the right to touch you in that way" he explained, shocking Kate with how angry his voice suddenly became. "What man has the right to force a woman into that? Sex shouldn't be forced, it should be special. It should be between two people who love each other or at least care about each other" he explained, a small smile covering Kate's face as she gently pressed a kiss to his cheek before squeezing his hand.

"He didn't hurt me Rick, he didn't even come close" she explained, the writer nodding slowly as she moved to lie down on the bed beside him. Doing the same, Rick sighed as they both lay on their sides staring at each other as tears filled both their eyes. "Rick, I've been through worse than that and although I was scared you stopped it before anything could happen to me" she admitted, reaching out to run her hand to his cheek as he slowly nodded and moved her hand so he could gently press a kiss to her palm.

"Well I just have brilliant timing" he declared, a small laugh leaving her lips before she moved so he could hug her. "The next time there's an event, I'll keep my promise".

"You kept your promise, you didn't leave me alone when the press was there and you didn't mean to leave me alone before. I was the one who left you to go and find a table and you were the one who wasn't allowed to come back however much you tried" she declared as he groaned. "You need to stop blaming yourself, this isn't your fault. The only person to blame is the bastard who tried to rape me" she explained.

"Please don't…" he begged, hating the word more than anything.

"Rick you can't be afraid of a word and it's true. He was going to rape me and I'm finally realising that and I'm not afraid because he didn't get the chance to hurt me and nothing happened except for my face being pinned to the wall" she admitted as the writer stared at her, not shocked by the strength she was showing. "So don't you dare blame yourself for this" she muttered.

"How are you this strong?" he asked, surprised when she simply shrugged and rested against him to return her focus to the movie.

**So what do you think? **

**Again reviews have gone down and I'm slightly worried. Do you think this is dragging on too much? Would you prefer it if I started to move towards the end? I want to know what you're thinking. **

**Also I go away to China in a week so I won't be updated from Next Monday for a whole week so the more reviews means the more chapters I get up beforehand. Also when did I turn to blackmail for reviews, I've been watching too much television now! **

**Anyway thank you and if you have any ideas of what you want to see tell me and I'll try and work it into the story. **


	46. Chapter 46

**This is one of my stupidly short chapters with a cliff hanger at the end but I'll probably update again tomorrow with the next part depending on the amount of reviews I receive tonight. Anyway thank you to your amazing response to the last chapter and well I hope you continue to enjoy this. **

"Kate can you get that please? I don't want to answer the door naked and soaking wet" he called out from the en-suite as Kate laughed and climbed off the bed, dressed only in his shirt and a pair of his boxers while her dark hair was messily thrown back in some hairstyle that he continually commented that suited her. Slipping out of the room, she sighed as she walked towards the door and quickly opened it to find a familiar blonde staring at her with a small smirk covering her face.

"Hello Kate, is Richard in?" Gina asked as she pushed her way into the apartment, Kate groaning before she forced a smile onto her face and shut the door. Turning, Kate watched as the blonde immediately walked into the kitchen and began to make herself coffee; both women looking up when they heard a squeak of a door and footsteps before Rick appeared in a t-shirt and boxers; Gina's smirk immediately turning into a smile. "Hello Richard" the blonde declared as Rick immediately forced a smile onto his face. He was confused. Why was Gina here? He knew why she was here, she was here to talk to him but why today? Why the only weekend that month he had alone with Kate because his mother and daughter had gone on a weekend break together?

"Gina hi" he declared, Kate's eyes rolling before she approached the couch and sat down, knowing the blonde wasn't going to leave in the next few minutes because of the coffee she'd made herself. Gina was going to be here for a while! "What are you doing here?" Rick quickly asked before the blonde laughed and rested her hand on Rick's shoulder which didn't go unnoticed by the glaring brunette.

"Well it's the weekend and I know that Martha and Alexis are out of town so I thought I would come over and make sure you're working on the new book. You have deadlines Richard and I'm not leaving until you've written at least two chapters" she explained before the room fell silent. Looking across, Rick sighed as he found Kate staring at him before she shook her head and disappeared upstairs; probably into the guest bedroom where he knew she disappeared when she wanted peace. He knew his girlfriend was angry because they had plans. They were going to go to the movies to watch a showing of Forbidden Planet and they had reservations for a new Italian place that they'd both been desperate to try. "Hurry up Rick, if we stand here all day we're not going to finish the chapters until tomorrow" she explained, a groan leaving the writer's lips before he turned and found himself looking up the stairs again.

"Can I just go and talk to Kate?" he asked, the blonde casually shrugging before he ran off up the stairs. Pushing the door to the guest bedroom open, Rick sighed as he found Kate sat on the bed with book that surprisingly wasn't his. "Are you cheating on me Kate?" he asked, shock covering her face before she noticed that he was looking down at the novel she was holding. "Katie, I'm sorry but I'm going to have too…" he began, falling silent when she held her finger up in his direction.

"Don't even say it Rick" she warned. "You promise the moment that Alexis and Martha told you they were going away that it was going to just be us and we were going to do the things we've not done in a while" she declared as he groaned. "But I understand! Go and work for your leggy blonde and I'll just read a book and pretend I'm not here like Gina wants. Maybe I'll just go and tell her that she's welcome to sleep with you because we both know that's what she wants" she declared, her anger building up as Rick sighed.

"Kate".

"Don't Kate me Rick. We both know that Gina wants me gone so she can move in and be with you. Everyone knows it Rick so why can't you see that's what today is all about? She wants to stop us spending time together" she announced, moving further away on the bed as he groaned and moved to sit down beside her.

"Kate not everyone is again us. Gina is not secretly planning to get rid of you and move in with me" he declared, his frustration obvious as she remained silent. "You need to grow up Kate because you're being stupid right now" he muttered before standing and walking towards the door. "I'll be downstairs when you realise that you're being ridiculous" he declared.

"Well I'll be up here when you realise that I'm right" she muttered, the door shutting a few moments later when he left the room. Walking down the stairs, the writer sighed as he entered his office to find Gina waiting for him.

"Is everything alright?" she asked, the writer quickly nodding as he sat down in his seat and sighed.

"Everything's fine Gina, Kate's just being a bit dramatic because we had to put some plans on hold" he explained, the blonde nodding slowly as the writer slowly began to work on the first chapter of his novel; not even knowing what was going to happen.

XOXOXOXOXOXOO

"How about we take a lunch break? The two of us could go and get something to eat together" Gina suggested later that day, the writer groaning as he looked up at the ceiling still thinking about the fight he'd had with Kate. He knew she wasn't stupid and he knew that she was beginning to get jealous of the blonde but he loved her and he couldn't understand why she couldn't just trust him when he said that nothing was going on with Gina. "Rick lunch" Gina practically barked, snapping the writer out of his thoughts as he looked up and sighed.

"I should really get on with this. If I finish the chapter then I can still make the reservations I had tonight with Kate" he explained as Gina sighed.

"Don't worry about that Rick, I already sorted it. You don't have any reservations anymore so we can take a lunch break and you can continue working later" she explained, shocking him. She'd cancelled his dinner reservations? How did she know he had dinner reservations?

"You cancelled my reservations, what made you think that you had the right to do that Gina?" he declared, standing quickly as she smiled at him. "Today was supposed to be an important day for me and Kate and you've already ruined it so why did you cancel the last bit of our plans we could still make?" he asked, furious that she'd taken away the hope he had for making it up to Kate. He'd known how excited Kate had been about going to the new Italian and he had been looking forward to taking her there for the first time.

"I did it because you're wasting your time with her" the blonde explained, also standing up quickly. "She's not right for you Rick, she doesn't understand the world we live in. She doesn't understand any of it and she's not good for you. You need someone who's known, someone who can help sell your books and it's not her" she shouted as Rick approached the door. "She's not even that pretty Richard".

"Kate is beautiful and she's more than all the things you think she is. She's kind and loving, she adores my daughter more than anything in the world and she's been there for me one hundred per cent since the moment we met. She's looked after Alexis when she was sick, she's come to my book tour to keep me company" he listed, stopping when Gina crossed her arms. "All you've done is try to destroy my relationship with…" he began before falling silent. "Kate was right".

"Right about what? Because I doubt she was. She doesn't even go to college" Gina commented as Rick stared at her.

"Kate dropped out of college because her mom was murdered Gina. She's an intelligent young woman and she's going to one day do something amazing with her life, she just needs to work it out for herself" he explained before opening the door and staring at the blonde. "I'd like it if you leave please, I've got to try and fix my reservations for tonight" he admitted, the blonde staring at him before she walked over.

"She's not good for you Richard" the blonde admitted as Rick opened his mouth to speak, shocked when he suddenly found Gina's mouth against his. Moving away quickly, the writer heard a creak on the stairs before he turned to find Kate staring at him; tears filling her eyes as she continued to watch him.

"Kate" he whispered, her head shaking before she ran back up the stairs, determined that Gina wouldn't see her breakdown.


	47. Chapter 47

**See I'm lovely, two chapters in one day! Although you might not agree with that by the end of this chapter! **

"Kate come on please talk to me" he begged as he followed her towards the door, not surprised to find her dressed and furious. He'd thrown Gina out of the apartment moments before because she'd attempted to kiss him again and had begun to insult the brunette and now he was desperately attempting to get the young woman to listen to him. He knew exactly what she thought. She thought that he'd been willing when it came to kissing Gina and she also thought that she couldn't trust him anymore and neither of those ideas were true! "Kate where are you going?" he asked as she opened the door and turned to look at him, tears filling her eyes as she shook her head and quickly ran off towards the lift. "Kate come one" he begged, silence filling the corridor as he watched her disappear from sight. He couldn't chase after her! She was furious and fast and he was desperate and dressed in a pair of boxers that would embarrass them both if the press caught him in. "Shit" he hissed, kicking the wall before groaning at the pain that ran through his foot. "Ouch".

XOXOOXXOXOOXOO

"Kate what are you doing here?" Lanie asked as she opened the door to find a tearful Kate Beckett staring at her, her arms crossed across her chest as she tried to stop herself from crying. "Come in, what's happened?" she asked, allowing the brunette in as Kate stepped inside the apartment and finally broke down, unable to control her emotions anymore. "Kate?" Lanie whispered.

"He was kissing someone else Lanie, Rick was kissing his publisher" she sobbed as Lanie felt the anger build up inside her. She was furious! She knew Rick adored Kate just as much as the brunette loved the writer but him kissing another woman was a complete over level to an argument. "I told him that she liked him like that but he said I was being childish and we had a fight and I went downstairs to apologise and he was kissing her Lanie" she explained as she broke down completely, the medical student's arms wrapping around her tightly. "He said that I was being stupid about her being attracted to him".

"Kate, maybe there's something you missed" the student whispered as Kate stared up at her, her eyes now red from crying.

"Lanie they were sucking each other's faces off! I don't think it would be possible to miss anything. If I hadn't walked in I don't know what they would have been doing but Gina was beginning to move her hands towards his pants" she admitted, not surprised when Lanie began to lead her towards the couch. Sitting down, Kate sighed as Lanie disappeared into another room for a moment before returning with a glass of water. "I thought he loved me Lanie, I was stupid enough to believe he loved me" she mumbled, tears running down her face as Lanie smiled at her weakly. "I was going to tell him today" she admitted as the woman sighed. "Over dinner, I was going to bring it up Lanie. I had it all planned, I was going to tell him everything when we were alone because then we'd have the whole weekend to talk about it and sort things out without Martha and Alexis around" she explained as Lanie slowly nodded.

"So you actually joined?" Lanie asked as Kate nodded quickly in response, silent tears still running down her cheeks. "I didn't think you were actually going to do it, it was just an idea we discussed" she admitted as Kate laughed and shrugged, not surprised that Lanie believed she wasn't going to go through with what she'd mentioned earlier. It had come up in one of their coffee conversations one day and the idea that Kate had been thinking about for a long time was slowly becoming more realistic in front of her ideas. Her idea of becoming a cop! "So Rick doesn't know at all?" Lanie asked, Kate's head shaking again as she relaxed back in the couch.

"I doubt I'll tell him now Lanie, he's probably gone to see Gina and they're probably fucking each other somewhere" she declared, shocking the other woman with her language. "Two perfect pretty celebrities who are made for each other. Well I don't care, they deserve each other, they…" she began before falling silent when she noticed the glare Lanie was giving her.

"You don't mean that Kate and you know it" she muttered, the brunette's head shaking as she shut her eyes. "You adore Rick, everyone can see it the moment they lay their eyes on you. You do everything together and you're perfect for one another. Everyone can see that but you at the moment. There is probably a decent reason behind why you saw them kissing but if I were you I would fight for my man and I wouldn't let the blonde with more leg than brain ruin my relationship with a man I'm really serious about" she explained as Kate laughed and nodded.

"Maybe I should talk to him about this, at least get his side of the argument before I make any more judgements" she muttered as Lanie nodded and heard a knock at the door.

"Probably another guy looking for the flat mate again" Lanie moaned as she climbed off the couch and approached the door. Opening it, the medical student felt the smile disappear from her face as she took in the sight of Richard Castle standing in her doorway. "How the hell did you find where I live?" she asked as she stepped out, leaving the door slightly open so she could get back into her apartment easier.

"I know people" he muttered while attempting to look through the crack in the door to see if Kate was there. "Is she here Lanie?" he asked, the young woman nodding quickly as she sighed.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't remove your pride and joy for hurting her?" she asked, scaring him with how calm and yet threatening her voice sounded when she commented.

"I didn't kiss Gina, she kissed me and Kate is the love of my life" he declared, Lanie smiling as she pushed the door open slightly. "Thank you" he whispered, stepping forward but stopping forward when she moved into the space that had been created. "What?" he asked.

"No making out on the couch, it sees enough action with my flat mate" she warned, the writer laughing before he nodded and slipped into the apartment to see Kate sat in the corner of the couch.

"Hey Katie" he whispered, not surprised when she immediately stood up and glared across at him. "We need to talk about what you saw earlier" he declared as she slowly began to nod as a response. She didn't know what to say to him and she hated that she seemed so weak. "Okay seeing that you're not going to respond, I'll just talk" he admitted, watching as she remained perfectly still. "I didn't kiss Gina, she kissed me and I was pulling away from her. I was about to come upstairs and apologise to you for being blind and not realising that everything you said was true" he explained as she opened her mouth to speak before falling silent again, unable to think of anything to say. "I love you Kate, I'm crazy about you and I'm sorry that today got cancelled. I know you were looking forward to going to the movies and then for a meal and I promise I'll make it up to you" he explained as she sat down on the couch and sighed. "Talk to me?" he begged.

"Swear on Alexis that you weren't the one who kissed her" she declared, looking up at him to see a small smile covering his face. She knew he would never lie on his daughter. He would never lie when Alexis was involved, even in the smallest way.

"I swear on Alexis that I wasn't the one to kiss Gina, she kissed me and I was pulling away. I swear Kate" he promised, getting onto his knees in front of her as she slowly nodded and wrapped her arms around him. "I love you so much Kate, I just wish you would trust me" he whispered as she sobbed into his shoulder, hating herself for lacking that ability to completely believe him.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry" she mumbled as he shook his head and stared at her.

"You didn't do anything wrong Katie, I was the one who was stupid" he explained, wiping his thumb across her face as she stared at him. "Want to tell me what's wrong?" he asked, her head nodding slowly as she found his hands and clung to it. She was going to tell him. She was going to tell him about the academy.

"Rick I…" she began before sighing. "Where does Gina work? I want to talk to her" she lied, unable to bring herself to talk about her career choice. That was a conversation for a different day. A day when she wasn't angry and he wasn't desperately trying to make her happy again!

"Is that a good idea?" he asked, her head nodding quickly as she smiled at him.

"Trust me Rick; I just want to talk to her. I won't even be that long. You can even wait in the car if you want because I'll literally be straight in and straight out" she admitted, the writer slowly nodding as they stood up together, their hands still clinging onto each other's like they feared that if they let go the other would disappear immediately. "Tell me you love me" she smiled, wanting to hear him say it.

"Always" he muttered, kissing her gently before she laughed against his lips. "What are you going to talk to Gina about?" he asked, wrapping an arm around her waist as Lanie slipped back into the apartment, unable to stop smiling at the sight of the couple who were so involved with each other the rest of the world didn't seem to matter.

"I'm just going to tell her to stay away from my man unless it's for professional business" she admitted before turning to look at Lanie. "Thanks for letting me rant, I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have someone to talk too about things" she admitted as the student nodded before hugging her quickly.

"If he does anything wrong, I have a scalpel and I'm not afraid to experiment" she smiled, Kate laughing as she nodded and pulled away from her. "Don't keep a secret for long either, that will make things worse" she admitted as confusion covered the writer's face. Secret? What secret? Kate was keeping a secret from him?

"What secret?" he immediately asked as Kate glared across at Lanie who mouthed 'sorry' before disappearing into the kitchen. "Kate?" he asked; his concern obvious as the brunette smiled at him and gently pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"Can we talk about it later? I just want to see Gina and then go home and attempt to enjoy the rest of our weekend together before your mother and Alexis come home" she admitted, the writer nodding slowly as he allowed her to lead him out of the apartment, his concern still obvious. "Bye Lanie" she called out.

"Bye Kate, no more fighting this week. I need some down time because otherwise I'll start charging under the role of therapist" Lanie explained as Kate laughed and quickly left Lanie's apartment with the writer by her side.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Entering Gina's office despite the protests of the receptionist, Kate smiled at the sight of the blonde behind the desk who was currently laughing down the phone at whatever the person had just said. Looking up, Gina groaned as she found Kate staring at her with her arms crossed.

"Look, I'll call you later. I have to deal with something" the blonde explained before immediately slamming the phone down. "What do you want?" Gina practically hissed as Kate smiled at her, unable to stop herself from feeling sorry for the woman in front of her.

"Rick and I are back together, he told me what happened" the brunette explained as shock began to appear on Gina's face. "He came looking for me and he declared that I was the love of his life and that I was right about you" she admitted, not leaving enough time for Gina to speak as she laughed gently. "You're so desperate for Rick to notice you that you'd do whatever you could but Rick doesn't see you as anything more than his publisher, he doesn't even see you as a friend" she declared, not surprised when Gina stood up.

"You won't last. One day he'll get bored of you Kate and he'll throw you away like all the other women he's been with. Don't you think you're the first person who he's told that they're the love of his life" she explained as Kate attempted to keep the smirk on her face, knowing that she couldn't listen to what Gina was saying. "Don't worry darling, soon it will be bye Katie and hello Gina and I bet we'll last a lot longer".

"I doubt it" Kate responded before smiling. "Look Gina, stay away from me and stay away from Rick. You're not his type, he likes someone who can at least give him a challenge when it comes to conversation and he defiantly wants someone who isn't just about appearance" she smiled as Gina's eyebrows rose. "And if you ever come near Rick again as anything but his publisher, I'm sure we can make some little story up about you too for the press".

"You…" she began as Kate approached the door and turned to look at Gina.

"Bye Gina, it was nice talking to you again" she laughed before slipping out of the office and towards the elevator, knowing that Gina and her receptionist were watching her.

XOOXOXOXOX

"You threatened my publisher?" he laughed as he sat on the couch while Kate lay across it, her feet resting on his lap as he continued to massage them gently. "I didn't think you had it in you Katherine Beckett to be horrid to anyone" he explained as she moved slightly, her body straddling his as she wrapped her arms around his neck before they stared at each other with small smiles covering their faces.

"If someone attempts to ruin my relationship then I'll do whatever it takes to make sure they disappear" she admitted as Rick laughed gently and quickly kissed her. "Her face when I told her that I'd make up some story for the press was amazing, I wish I got a photo" she admitted as the writer chuckled and tightened his arms around her.

"I wish I could have seen it, I bet you were really sexy when you started threatening her Kate" he admitted, leaning forward to gently press a kiss to her neck. "I'm beginning to wish that someone had taken photos now" he added as she nodded slowly and allowed herself to enjoy the kisses he was placing on her neck. "So you've seen Gina now, are you going to tell me your secret?" he asked as she groaned and stared at him, their eyes locking as she bit into her bottom lip. "You can tell me anything".

"Rick, I've worked out what I want to do with my life" she admitted, the writer nodding slowly as she smiled and relaxed, trying to think of the best way to phrase. "Rick, I've signed up to join the police academy" she laughed as shock began to cover his face. "Rick I'm going to be a cop".

**So what do you think? I hate Rick and Kate being angry with each other and I really wanted to show Kate becoming protective of Castle when it came to Gina! Also I wanted to start bringing in the fact that Kate wants to become a cop which I have started to hint at in previous chapters and someone brought up Lanie and how they thought she'd bring Kate becoming a cop forward so I decided that Kate has secretly been discussing it with Lanie. **

**Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter and please review! Honestly, the more reviews means the quicker I update. It's a true fact! Also I know you probably hate me for two cliff hangers in a row but they were what my mind wanted to write. **

**THANK YOU :D **


	48. Chapter 48

"I'm sorry but what was that?" he asked, his tone worrying her slightly as she took in the concern that was quickly covering his face. "You want to be a cop?" he commented, her head nodding slowly as she attempted to tread carefully, not knowing how he was going to react. "Where the hell did you get that idea from?" he questioned as she bit into her bottom lip and fell silent for a moment.

"You told me that I would know when I found the right thing for me and I've found it" she explained as he stared at her in silence. "I know it's not the traditional job and it's not what I was working towards originally but I want to do it Rick. I want to be a cop" she admitted as she ran her hands to his shoulders and gently kissed him. "It's not a quick decision, I've been thinking about it for a long time but I didn't want to tell you until I was certain because I needed to get there on my own"

"So you told Lanie?" he announced, his eyebrows rising as she sighed and wrapped her arms around him, desperate for him to be happy that she'd finally found what she wanted.

"I needed someone who didn't know about my mom to be there Rick" she admitted as he watched her silently. "I needed someone to be there to make sure I wasn't just doing this for my mom and in a way, yes I will be doing this because someone needs to find her killer because they're not trying at the moment" she admitted, tears filling her eyes as he slowly wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her close as she stared at him. "But I want to do this and I think I'll be good at it Rick. I think I could be an amazing cop, I just need you to have faith in me and to be there to support me through this" she explained, tears running down her cheeks as he slowly smiled and leant forward to gently press a kiss to her lips.

"This is what you really want to do?" he mumbled as she nodded, their eyes locking as he gently removed his hand from around her to wipe the tears away from her face. "A cop" he smiled, her head nodding before she rested against his shoulder, a small laugh leaving her lips at the idea. "A writer and a cop, we're going to be the most interesting couple in the whole of New York" he smiled as she giggled before rolling her eyes. "Are you going to get a uniform?" he asked quickly, her head rising from his shoulder as she stood in the look he was giving her.

"No I will not wear a uniform for that! You're…. Eww" she laughed, the writer smiling as he tightened his arms around her and began to press light kisses to her cheeks. "There's loads of training I've got to do and they have to do all these background checks and things but then hopefully…"she admitted, stopping when he gently pressed his lips to hers.

"There's no hopefully about it Kate, you'll be a cop one day if it's what you really want to do with your life" he explained, the brunette smiling at him before her arms wrapped around his neck tightly. "Have you told your dad yet?" he asked, the room falling silent before she gently shook her head, the writer groaning as he thought about how Jim Beckett was going to react to the news that his only child, his little girl, wanted to now be a cop. "Oh god" he muttered.

"I know but I was scared enough telling you and I thought if I told you first then things would be easier with dad because you'd be able to support me" she began, his eyebrows rising as she bit into her lip. "Rick, if dad know that you support the idea and you tell him how passionate I am about it he'll probably listen because he respects you but if I just go in there and tell him that I've signed up for the Academy, I don't know what he'd do" she admitted, her voice filling with fear as she thought about all the possible ways her father would react. Would he start drinking again? Would she be the one pushing him to the edge this time instead of her mother's death?

"Hey, it's okay Kate" Rick mumbled, noticing the fearful look that was starting to appear on her face. "Your dad will be fine, it might shock him at first and he might not like the idea but in the end you're a young woman and you're able to make your own decisions and he's going to have to learn to like them even if he doesn't" he explained as Kate nodded slowly, laughing when Rick's fingers began to disappear under her t-shirt.

"Your hands are freezing, remove them please" she laughed, his head shaking as they continued to run up against her chest. "Rick you're really cold" she moaned.

"Well I'm warming them up then" he muttered before kissing her gently, a small laugh leaving her lips as she stared at him. "Look I've got to make up for today so why don't you go and have a long bath and I promise by the time you come out, I'll have made up for the fact that our dinner reservations and our movie date got destroyed" he admitted, her head nodding slowly as she climbed off him and stared at him for a moment. "What are you waiting for?" he asked.

"I just wanted to say that I love you" she whispered, his head nodding slowly as he also stood up and snaked one arm around her lips before gently kissing her.

"I love you too silly, now bath" he laughed, her head nodding before she ran off down the corridor. "Shit romantic date night" he muttered, desperately trying to think of something he could do".

XOOXOXOXOXOOXO

"Rick what should I wear?" Kate called out from the bedroom as she finished drying her hair while remaining wrapped in the towel.

"Put some pyjamas on" he declared, a laugh leaving her lips before she shook her head and dug out his batman t-shirt again. She'd become rather fond of sleeping in his clothes and she also knew that he loved seeing her in a pair of his boxers and one of his superhero t-shirts when they went to bed. Dressing herself quickly, the brunette sighed as she slowly slipped out of the bedroom to find that the apartment was practically completely dark except from some random light in the living room.

"Rick, I can't see where I'm going" she laughed, stopping when she heard footsteps running towards her before Rick's hands covered her face. "Rick what are you doing?" she asked, moving as he writer began to move forwards, obviously leading her towards the living room. "What's going on?" she asked, stopping when he stopped before he removed his hands from her face to reveal the Forbidden Planet paused on the television and a makeshift bed covering the living room floor while take out rested on the coffee table.

"It's practically our whole date just at home" he admitted, not surprised when she quickly kissed him. "I ordered a random selection of things from the Italian we were going too and thought we could share everything, see what we like for the next time when we actually get to step inside" he admitted, her smile growing as her arms tightly wrapped around him for a moment.

"I love you" Kate muttered before moving away and approaching the food, her smile growing as she began to open all the boxes. "This all looks amazing, we're going to have loads left over though" she admitted, the writer shrugging before he sat down on the floor beside her and watched as she stared at him in amusement.

"Well then we'll have enough for tomorrow as well and then we won't have to leave the apartment" he admitted, her eyes rolling as she began to eat some of the food in front of her, moaning the moment she tasted it. "Good?" he asked; her head nodding enthusiastically as he laughed. "You've changed so much since we met Kate" he muttered, confusion covering her face as she stared at him. "When we first met you were this shy young woman who was in the shadow of a girl who didn't appreciate how amazing you are" he admitted as she listened to him. "And from then you've just developed so much and I love it".

"Developed how?" she asked gently.

"You've just become this amazing independent and strong woman" he explained as Kate smiled. "I mean I don't think eight months ago you would have ever gone up to Gina and told her the stuff you did today and the girl I met eight months ago wouldn't have been so strong after what happened at the event" he admitted, finding her hand quickly as she continued to smile. "And now you've found a career and you're this amazing role model for my daughter and I just can't help but fall more in love with you every day" he laughed, her lips finding his a few moments later as her arms snuck around him. Playing the movie, Rick sighed as he found Kate staring at him as her bottom lip got caught by her teeth again. "Kate?" he asked gently, her head shaking as she moved closer to him.

"We can reheat the food later" she whispered, moving his hands to the bottom of her t- shirt.

XOOXOOXXXOOXOXOX

"And you're having fun pumpkin?" Rick asked as he lay on the living room floor, the phone pressed against his ear as Kate remained curled up beside him, her fingers drawing patterns against his bare chest. "Of course Kate and I miss you Lex, the apartment is so quiet without you" he smiled, looking down to see Kate laughing as she reflected on how loud they just were. "Yes we'll be there to pick you up from the airport Alexis" he smiled. "Yes, Kate will be there too" he added, Kate nodding as she began to kiss his chest.

"Can I talk to her?" the brunette whispered, the writer nodding as he sighed.

"Lex I have someone who wants to talk to you" he declared before passing the phone to the brunette and sighing as Kate relaxed.

"Hey Lex" Kate smiled before laughing. "Of course I miss you sweetheart, you know how much I love you" she admitted, the writer watching her proudly as she continued to murmur along to whatever Alexis was saying. "No your daddy and I haven't done anything fun, we've been sat around waiting for you to come home" she lied, the writer's head shaking before he disappeared under the blanket that was covering their bodies. Feeling Rick's lips on her stomach, Kate shut her eyes as she attempted not to moan at the touch. "Alexis, I love you but I've got to go now. Your daddy is being really silly and I need to tell him off" she explained before nodding as she laughed at Alexis' comment. "Of course I'll tell him, I'll see you tomorrow sweetheart" she declared before saying goodbye and putting the phone down. Pulling the blanket over her head, the brunette sighed as the writer moved to stare down at her.

"What did Alexis say?" he asked.

"That you, daddy, need to stop being so naughty" Kate declared before leaning up and kissing him, a laugh leaving her lips as he began to kiss down her neck.

"It's not my fault that my girlfriend makes me so naughty" he commented, her eyes rolling as she stared up at the blanket that was covering her face. "What are you thinking about?" he asked as he noticed that she was reacting to his touches. "Kate?" he whispered.

"I really miss her" she muttered, confusion covering his face as he stared at her.

"Miss who?" he asked.

"Alexis, I really miss her" she laughed before shaking her head. "Richard Castle, what have you done to me?" she commented as he shrugged and gently moved to kiss her lips again. "We couldn't have done all of this at the movies" she admitted, moving the blanket to see that The Forbidden Planet was just finishing on the television.

"But this was so much more fun" he declared, her head nodding as she moved so her head was resting on his chest while his fingers ran up and down her back gently. "I love you Kate Beckett, future kick ass cop" he announced, a small laugh leaving her lips as she shut her eyes.

"I love you too writer man".

**So? What do you think? **

**I didn't want to have a major fight about the whole cop thing although it will be developed more in future chapters. Anyway, please review! I love hearing from you and they honestly make my day. The next chapter will include a lot more Alexis because everyone loves her and probably Jim and Martha as well! **


	49. Chapter 49

"Why are we going out so early?" the brunette moaned as she turned to see the writer already dressed in what looked like gym clothes. "Rick, what's going on?" she asked quickly as she sat up and watched as he passed her a mug that immediately filled her senses with the smell of coffee. "Okay, what's going on? Alexis doesn't get home for another five hours" she admitted.

"We're going to the gym this morning Katie so rise and shine beautiful" he declared as her eyebrows rose in a mixture of shock and surprise at the fact that he wanted to go to the gym with her, even though neither of them had discussed it before.

"You never go to the gym Rick and I haven't been in what feels like forever" the brunette explained as she used her free hand to brush her hair away from her face. "And why are we going at stupid o'clock in the morning?" she commented as she slipped out from the bed and moved to find some of her sweats and a t-shirt to go with them.

"I don't want to leave Alexis on her first night home from her trip and I thought, seeing that my girlfriend now wants to be a cop we should do something about that" he declared, relaxing back in the bed as he watched her slowly undress before pulling her underwear on.

"Do something about it?" she asked as she pulled her sweats on and turned to look at him while she ran her fingers through her hair and tied it back from her face. "So what are we doing at the gym Rick?" the brunette questioned as he shook his head and walked over to her, his arms wrapping around her waist from his hands rested against her bare stomach. "We won't be going to the gym at all if you don't let me get dressed Richard" she commented as he groaned against her skin.

"Give me a minute Katie, I just want to enjoy you for a moment before I have to share you with the world again" he muttered, resting his head against her shoulder as she laughed and watched their reflection in the mirror. "Okay, hurry up and get dressed beautiful, we need to get to the gym before my contact leaves and my plan is completely ruined" he announced, moving away from her as the brunette pulled her t-shirt on and walked over to join him quickly. Pulling on her sneakers, Kate sighed as Rick's arm snuck around her hips before she relaxed and left the apartment with him slowly.

"So why are we going to the gym Rick?" she asked as they left the building together moments later while his arm remained tightly wrapped around her to keep her close to him.

"I have a friend who teaches self-defence classes and martial arts and well I thought, it might be good if you had that sort of training before you officially join the academy and start training to be a cop" he explained, the brunette staring at him in shock before she stopped, forcing him to also stop. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Kate laughed as she quickly pressed a kiss to his lips, not surprised when his arms tightened around her hips. "Got to make sure my girlfriend is safe when she's confronting all these criminals and I must admit that the idea of you being all hot and sweaty in the gym is kind of hot" he laughed, her eyes rolling before she kissed him again and laced her fingers with his.

"And you're going to do this with me?" she asked, the writer nodding as she smiled at him in amazement. "You don't have to do this if you don't want too?" she declared, the writer's head shaking before he kissed her gently and rested his forehead against hers; not caring who was walking past and watching them.

"I want to do this for you Kate" he whispered as she smiled at his comment. "I want to be there every step of the way and it might be good to do some sort of exercise and it'll be even more fun if I'm doing it to support my amazing girlfriend with what she wants to do with her fantastic life" he explained, her arms tightening around him as she laughed, not believing how lucky she was.

"I love you Mr Castle, I love you so much" she admitted, smiling as they moved out of each other's arms and began to walk down the street again. "How did I get so lucky?" the brunette asked quickly, the writer shrugging as he stared at her.

"You were just you Kate and you didn't want anything from me but me and I love that about you more than anything in the world" he admitted, opening the door to the building for her as she smiled and slipped inside; enjoying the moment when his arm slipped around her again. "Kate, we're just a man and a woman who fell in love over a cup of coffee and I love that about us" he explained, Kate smiling as she nodded. They were just a normal couple who fell in love; his job didn't have any influence on that.

XOXXOOXXOOOXO

"You've got a natural here Richard" the trainer laughed as he stood beside his friend and watched the brunette who was continuing to hit the punch bag, shocking the writer of how strong her punch was. "And she's a very beautiful young woman as well" he smiled, Rick nodding as he laughed when Kate stopped moving and groaned in exhaustion.

"She's an amazing woman, the fact that she's beautiful is just one layer of how extraordinary she is actually" he admitted, sitting down as the trainer nodded and watched Kate run over to join them. "Having fun Kate?" he asked as Kate smiled and sat down for a moment, taking the bottle of water he was holding from him.

"Lazy bones, are you going to come and join me with this? I thought we were doing this together writer man and you've just stopped" she smirked, the writer laughing as he reached across and rested his hand on her thigh for a moment.

"I'm just having a break from you missing the bag and smacking me in the face, you have a lethal punch woman" he laughed, her eyes rolling as she wrapped her arms around him and gently pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Go on, go and exercise. I know you've just woken up and desperately want to do as much as you possibly can" he admitted, her head nodding slowly as she moved and quickly returned to the punch bag. "You're really sexy when you do that Kate, I might have to buy one for the loft" he laughed, watching every punch she took at the bag.

"Stop watching me writer man, I'm not concentrating now because I feel completely intimidated" she explained, moving away from the bag as she sighed. "I'm tired, have I done enough for today? I'm exhausted" the brunette commented, the trainer nodding slowly as she breathed out and stared at the writer. "I don't think I've had fun like this in a long time Rick" she admitted.

"You might have had fun Kate but I was the one who got punched in the face while you were doing that" he declared as she walked over and quickly kissed him, the trainer's eyes rolling as he watched them in amusement. He'd known the writer for a long time! The two of them had been friends since college and he'd met Meredith and many of the other women Rick had been with and Kate was his favourite out of all of them. Kate was realistic and challenged the writer and he loved watching Rick squirm. "Come on, you need to shower before we go to the airport".

"What are you trying to say Rick?" she asked, a smile covering his face as he watched her in silence for a moment.

"I'm just trying to say that I want you to be hygienic when we go and collect my mother and daughter" he explained, her hand slapping him around the back of the head as the trainer laughed as Kate walked towards the door in amusement.

"You weren't saying that last night when we worked out now were you Mr Castle?" she smirked before leaving the room, the writer's jaw dropping as his friend laughed beside him.

"Now I see why you think she's extraordinary Rick" he commented, the writer nodding before he shook his friend's hand and quickly disappeared out of the same door that Kate had left out of moments before. "Oh she is going to have you whipped one day" the trainer smirked.

XOXOOXOXOXOXXO

"Where are they? They shouldn't be this long? The plane landed over half an hour ago" Rick panicked as they stared at the door waiting for the two redheads' to walk through. Laughing gently, Kate smiled as she reached across and found her boyfriend's hand before squeezing it gently, knowing that he was excited about seeing his little girl again. Hearing a familiar laugh, both of them looked across to see Alexis wheeling her tiny suitcase out as she clung onto her clearly exhausted grandmother's hand. "Lex" Rick practically screamed, the redhead turning before she ran over with her chase bumping along behind her before Rick lifted her into her arms.

"Daddy, daddy, daddy" the redhead squealed as Rick began to press kisses to her cheeks while Kate just rolled her eyes and watched in silence as Martha slowly joined them. "I went on a plane daddy, I was really scared because you weren't there but grams said I was going to be alright" she admitted as her father nodded, still holding her in his arms even though she was starting to get heavy. "And I did it daddy! I did it two times" she declared before turning to see Kate smiling at her. "Daddy put me down" the redhead ordered, her father quickly doing so before Alexis wrapped her arms around Kate. "I missed you Katie" she muttered into Kate's side.

"I missed you too sweetheart, the house has been so quiet without you" the brunette commented as she gently ran her fingers through the redhead's hair before sighing and watching as Alexis moved and grabbed onto her hand. "How was the holiday Lex?" the brunette asked, leading the small girl away as Rick grabbed her suitcase and followed her with his mother.

"It was really fun" Alexis explained as Martha nodded slowly. "We bought presents" she declared.

"Presents! You actually remembered to get me a present" Rick announced enthusiastically as both his mother and Kate rolled their eyes at him.

"We got Katie one too" Alexis added, the smile growing on Kate's face as she stared down at the small girl who was already looking up at her with the largest grin painted across her face. "Are we going home daddy?" the redhead asked as they walked out of the airport together.

"Yes sweetheart, we're going home now" he muttered, the redhead nodding as she remained silent for a moment.

"Good! I miss home daddy" she admitted, cuddling into her father's side briefly as Kate just watched in amazement, loving every moment she spent around the writer and his daughter.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Oh wow, this is cool" Rick declared as he held the floral top up against him as Kate bit into her lip to stop herself from laughing. "I love it pumpkin, thank you" he explained, wrapping his arms around the six year old as she continued to beam. He couldn't help but look across to see Kate staring at him in amazement. "Are you going to give Katie her present Alexis?" he asked, Alexis squealing as she quickly nodded and dug through her open case to bring it out.

"Lex you didn't have to get me something. I'm just happy that you had a good time with your gram this weekend" the brunette muttered as she slowly took hold of the wrapped present, the redhead smiling as she climbed out onto the couch. Opening the present silently, Kate smiled as she stared at the deep green scarf that was now in her hands; her smile growing as she gently ran her fingers across the material. "It's so beautiful, thank you sweetheart. I really love it" the brunette laughed, wrapping her arm tightly around Alexis who laughed gently and relaxed in Kate's arms.

"So did you two have a fun weekend?" Martha asked, silence filling the room as Kate looked across at Rick who smiled at her weakly.

"We had an interesting weekend actually" Kate admitted as Rick nodded. "Gina came over yesterday".

"Destroyed our plans, cancelled our reservation for dinner and then kissed me" the writer explained, shock covering his mother's face as Kate laughed and watched the writer in amusement. "Kate stormed off straight after that" he added.

"I had every right too, I did just walk downstairs to apologise for what I said and instead I found you snogging that leggy blonde" she explained, a laugh leaving Kate's lips as she relaxed back in the chair and watched the shock grow on Martha's face. "So I went to Lanie's and in typical fashion, Rick turned up soon after looking for me" she admitted as the older redhead nodded while Alexis cuddled into Kate's side and began to fall asleep silently.

"We talked and sorted things out and then someone decided that they were going to go and have a word with a certain leggy blonde" he laughed, Martha's eyebrows rising as Kate smirked and tightened her arms around the half asleep girl.

"So I went and told Gina to stay away from Rick otherwise I'd make a story up about her for the press" Kate admitted, shock not just covering Martha's face but also covering her sons. "What? Didn't I tell you about that?" she asked, Rick's head shaking as she bit into her bottom lip and sighed.

"You are an amazing woman Katherine Beckett; I wish I could have been a fly on the wall in that room when you told her that. Her face would have been amazing to see" he smiled; her eyes rolling as the redhead slowly nodded and sighed. "So we came home mother and we were cuddling on the couch and well, someone dropped a bombshell" he declared, looking across at the brunette before he climbed out of his seat and moved to take the space next to her, his arms tightening around her as she relaxed.

"And what was this bombshell?" Martha asked in confusion before horror covered her face. "You're not pregnant are you because if Richard has got another woman pregnant because he didn't think before he acted I'm going to make sure he can't have any more babies?" the redhead announced as Kate laughed and shook her head.

"I'm not pregnant and I'm not planning on being for a long time" Kate admitted as Martha relaxed, allowing the panic to leave her veins. "Martha, I'm going to be a cop" she explained, the redhead's eyebrows rising as she stared at the young woman in amazement. "Rick was shocked too but he's been really supportive and I hope you'll be supportive too" she admitted, the redhead nodding as she laughed.

"Richard, you're going to have a lot to handle when this one becomes a police officer. No more naked horse acts or speeding because she won't be afraid to punish you" the redhead commented as Rick nodded and tightened his grip of the brunette, smiling to see his daughter fast asleep against her.

"I know mother" he admitted, burying his head into her hair as she relaxed, knowing that he liked the strong smell of cherries that radiated from her hair. "But it's what Kate wants to be and I can tell that she's passionate about this and wow, this woman can throw a punch when she wants to" he declared as Kate laughed.

"She punched you?" Martha asked, becoming more confused about their relationship than before.

"We were at the gym this morning. I missed the punch bag and instead smacked Rick in the face" Kate muttered, smiling when the older redhead began to hysterically laugh; Rick's eyes rolling at her comment.

"You went to the gym Richard?" Martha asked when she calmed down from laughing.

"I went to the gym with Kate, got to get those defence lessons started before she becomes a cop. She needs to protect herself from the psycho's out there" he announced, hoping his mother would leave him alone about it. Watching his mother's mouth open, Rick smiled as he quickly stood up and looked down at his sleeping daughter. "I'm going to take her to bed" he declared, Kate's head shaking as she ran her fingers through Alexis' red hair.

"Don't…please" Kate mumbled, confusion covering the writer's face as she sighed. "I've missed her and she's warm" the brunette admitted as the writer nodded slowly and sat back down, wrapping his arm around Kate again as he sighed. This was his family and he loved everything about it!

**I know I said that Jim would probably be in the chapter but I decided that this was a nice place to end this chapter and well, I hope you enjoy it. Please review, it honestly is the best thing a girl can get and I know it sounds silly but reviews really do make you update faster. I promise in the next chapter, we will be seeing Jim Beckett again. **

**Also I want to thank my amazing friend Laura for suggesting the whole defence lessons between Kate and Rick. I loved the idea that I wanted to have it in the story somewhere and this seemed to work! **


	50. Chapter 50

Entering the bedroom again, Kate sighed as she wrapped her arms around herself and slipped into the bed again, needing the comfort that it provided. Feeling Rick's arms wrap around her, her eyes shut quickly as he gently pressed a kiss to her neck; knowing that she wasn't feeling one hundred per cent at that particular moment.

"Good morning Katie" he muttered, kissing her gently before she stared across at him in amazement. "So are we going to go and see your father today?" he asked, the brunette groaning as she rested her forehead against his chest, the writer's hands running up under her t-shirt as she attempted to remain close to him, needing the warmth of his body again. "Katherine Beckett we need to talk to your dad about this, he has the right to know about what you've decided" the writer explained as she nodded and stared up at him, groaning gently.

"What if it makes him drink again Rick? What if I make him drink again?" she asked, the writer sighing as he took in what she was saying. She was terrified about her father disappearing into the bottle again because she'd chosen to take a career which meant she wouldn't be one hundred per cent safe. He knew that Jim Beckett had lost his wife and he already knew the first thought that would go through his head when he took in the fact that his only child now wanted to be a cop. His first thought would be that he would lose her too! "Rick I can't make him go through that again and I can't lose him again".

"Kate we know the signs now, we know what to do and he's doing really well and he gets along with his sponsor really well" Rick admitted as Kate moved to lie with her back pressed against his chest, his arms wrapping around her quickly as she shut her eyes. "And I'm going to be there one hundred per cent this time to support you both" he promised, pressing a kiss into the back of her hair as she began to relax in his arms. "So are you going to wake up?" he asked.

"In an hour Rick, I need some sleep. I'm tired" she mumbled, turning to bury her face into his chest as he nodded slowly, knowing that she was exhausted. Hearing the door creak open slowly, the writer groaned as he realised there was no way that Kate was going to get another hour of sleep.

"Daddy, daddy are you awake? It's time to wake up daddy" Alexis whispered as she moved towards the bed before jumping on it, Rick groaning again as he took in the movement of the bed. Looking at the two adults, Alexis watched as her father turned to look at her with a smile covering his face. "Wake up daddy, wake up Katie, it's not sleep time anymore" she laughed, Kate groaning as she pulled the blanket over her body.

"Sweetheart, Katie's tired at the moment so why don't you go and watch some television and I'll be out to make you breakfast in a minute" he declared, the redhead nodding before she ran out of the room again, Rick turning as he quickly wrapped his arm around Kate again. "Everything okay Katie?" the writer asked as he watched Kate nod slowly before she groaned and ran her hands to her stomach.

"Go make Alexis breakfast, she's hungry at the moment" the brunette whispered, the writer nodding as he slipped out of bed and stared at her for a moment. "I love you Rick, you know that right. You make me really happy Rick" she muttered, the writer nodding as he noticed for the first time how pale she was.

"I love you too sweetheart, I love you so much" he explained, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Just feeling a bit off at the moment, I'll be fine later. I promise" she admitted, the writer nodding quickly as he stared at her in confusion before nodding slowly and walking out of the room to make his daughter breakfast.

XOXOXOOXXOXOO

Entering the bedroom again a few moments later, Rick sighed as he carried the coffee mug towards the brunette and stared at her for a moment as she slept before clearing his voice to wake her; knowing better than to shake her when she was tired.

"Katie" he whispered quietly, the brunette groaning as she turned and stared at him for a moment before covering her mouth and running out of the bed to the en-suite. "Kate?" he asked, putting the mugs down before he walked towards the en-suite and entered the room to find Kate leaning against the wall as she shut the lid of the toilet and groaned. "What's wrong Kate?" he whispered, confusion covering her face as she watched him.

"Just off today, I haven't been feeling completely fine for a while" she whispered, standing quickly before she slowly walked towards the sink, desperately needing to brush her teeth to remove the taste of vomit.

"Maybe it's something that's going around this month, I've heard of a lot of people getting sick this week" he commented, shock covering her face at the word "month" and "week" as she turned to look at him.

"Rick what's the date today?" she asked quickly, shocking the writer with how panicked her voice sounded when she said the question.

**I know I put Jim off again and I left it in a stupid place! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry, please still love me but I wanted to get a chapter up so I know it's not my best and I apologise for that but I wanted it and I know you'll all kill me for leaving it here!**

**This is my last chapter before I go to China so have an amazing week guys and please review, I love hearing from you and the more I get the more ideas I get for chapters! I love hearing all your thoughts and any ideas that you guys have and want to see in the story I would love to know about! All your ideas are greatly appreciated and I do try and fit them into the story where I think they'll fit. **


	51. Chapter 51

"Kate darling, is everything alright?" Martha asked as she gently tapped on the door of her son's en-suite, listening as Kate continued to cry on the other side of the door. The older redhead had watched as her son had quickly left the apartment without saying a clear sentence, his only clear words being 'Kate' and 'please' before he'd practically ran out of the apartment. Hearing movement, Martha sighed as the door unlocked and slowly opened to reveal the tearful brunette who quickly allowed herself to become buried in Martha's protective hold. "It's okay sweetheart, you don't have to tell me" the older woman soothed into Kate's dark hair as Kate continued to shake her head.

"I'm late" she admitted. "I don't even know how I missed it Martha" the teenager explained as she rested against the bath, knowing that Martha was still watching her. "I've never been this late before, normally I'm regular but recently…" Kate began before falling silent and wrapping her arms around her chest, needing to keep herself safe. She could be pregnant. She could be nineteen soon and have a baby before the end of the year. She could become a mother. "I can't be a mom yet Martha, I'm not ready to take on that role and Rick isn't ready to take on that role with me" she blurted out, panic covering her face as she stood up and ran her fingers through her hair, desperately trying to calm herself down!

"Kate, there could be many reasons behind why you're late, it doesn't just mean that you're pregnant" the redhead smiled, hoping to calm the fear that was continuing to cover the young woman's face. "Come on darling, let's go and have some tea and wait for Richard to come back" Martha declared, taking hold of Kate's hand before she led the brunette out of the room and towards the kitchen; her eyes focusing on Kate as she began to prepare the two mugs. Hearing footsteps, the redhead smiled as she watched her granddaughter enter the room and run towards Kate who quickly got to her knees and wrapped her arms around the little girl, needing to keep her close for a moment.

"Katie you're hugging me too tight, I can't breathe anymore" Alexis moaned gently, Kate laughing as she slowly loosened her arms and let Alexis wiggle free before the young redhead giggled gently at her actions. "Where's daddy Katie?" she asked, looking around quickly to see that Rick was missing from the group.

"He's just had to go out for a while sweetheart, he'll be back before you know it" the brunette smiled, leaning across to gently press a kiss to Alexis' forehead before she stood up and rested her hand on the six year olds shoulder. "Why don't you go and watch a movie sweetheart? Time always goes faster when you're doing something fun like watching a really good film" Kate explained as Alexis nodded and quickly ran over to the couch to watch something on the television while the older redhead continued to make the cups of tea that she'd promised Kate earlier.

"You're good with her Kate" Martha commented when they both sat down, their hands wrapped tightly around the warm mugs. "Alexis has never really grown close to people before that Rick knows but she instantly fell in love with you from the moment she met you" the redhead declared as Kate smiled weakly at the comment before she turned to see Alexis curled up on the couch, completely focused upon the Disney film she'd chosen to watch. Hearing the door open slowly, Kate sighed as she shut her eyes gently and listened to the footsteps that were approaching her. "Let her have her tea first Richard" Martha muttered as she stared at her son who nodded in response and took the seat beside his girlfriend.

"I ran to the nearest shop, I didn't want us to wait any longer than we needed to Kate" he admitted, finding her shaking hand before she squeezed it gently. She needed him to support her, especially at that moment! He'd supported her through her mother's murder when she'd been so lost and afraid of being alone and now she needed him to protect her from the idea about she might not be alone anymore and that maybe she was sharing her body with their baby now! Finishing her tea, Kate sighed as she finally turned to look across to see Rick staring at her, nerves covering his face. The look on his face explained completely how she felt inside.

"I'm going to go and do it now Rick, I want to get it over with" she mumbled, the writer nodding as he passed the bag to her and watched as she slid into his bedroom.

"Richard, go and follow her" Martha hissed, hitting her son with the end of the tea towel as the writer stared at her. "I don't mean follow her and watch her pee on the stick. Just be there for the three minutes waiting time because that can be the scariest moment in someone's life" the redhead explained as he nodded and stood up, moving away slowly. "She needs you to look after her if this really happens Richard, she'll need you more than ever before" Martha admitted as the writer nodded and disappeared into his bedroom again to hear Kate washing her hands.

"Kate" Rick declared, making his presence known as the door slowly opened and Kate appeared. "I love you beautiful, I really do love you more than I've ever loved any woman" he whispered, her head nodding as a small smile covered her face when she watched the writer move towards her, his arms tightening around her body. "If you are pregnant Kate, I'll be there for you one hundred per cent. Nothing is going to stop me from loving you Katherine Beckett" he announced, pressing kiss lips into her hair as she relaxed in his arms. She needed his comfort!

"I'm not ready to face this idea. To face having a baby with you Rick is such a big thing and I'm not ready to become a mom yet" she admitted, burying her head into his chest as he nodded slowly. "I love you Rick, you know that I love you more than anything but I can't have a baby. I'm eighteen, almost nineteen; I should be out having fun with my friends. I shouldn't even been contemplating about baby names or pregnancy ideas or even having my own babies at the moment" she listed as the writer nodded again.

"I support whatever decision you make Kate. This is your body and I'll understand if you're not ready to be a mom. It's a big thing to take on and I don't want you to feel like you're going to destroy your life by having a baby we didn't plan but if you want it, then we'll have this baby and we'll make it work" he explained, Kate nodding slowly before she moved out of his arms and quickly disappeared into the bathroom to collect the test. "Kate?" he asked, moving towards the door as she sighed and looked up at him; their eyes locking as her smile grew. "Kate?" he asked again.

"I'm not pregnant Rick, we're not having a baby" she laughed, the writer nodding before she wrapped her arms around him, her smile growing as she began to relax. She knew it was wrong to be so happy that she wasn't pregnant because most people would be devastated by the idea of not having a baby but she was happy that she didn't have to force herself into the role of mother which she knew she wasn't ready for. "I think I need to see a doctor about this" she admitted, the writer nodding as he kept his arms around her; not wanting to let go of her already. "To see whether they know what's wrong and what I can do to return to normal. I hate being irregular, I just want to be normal again" the brunette explained before leaning up to kiss him gently, the writer's arms tightening around her when their lips parted moments later. "I think that was one of the scariest moments of my life" she admitted as Rick nodded slowly, knowing exactly what fear she was talking about. He'd gone through an unplanned pregnancy once already and gained his amazing daughter who he loved more than anything but her mother hadn't been one hundred per cent happy about the idea and that had been obvious more during her last few weeks as Rick's wife. He didn't want to see his relationship with Kate strained in that way!

"I love you so much Kate" he declared, her head nodding as she moved her hand to find Rick's, her smile growing as she squeezed it gently. "We better go and tell my mother, otherwise she'll just panic" he explained as he began to lead Kate out of the en-suite and quickly out of his room. Finding Martha watching them, Rick smiled as she stood up, nerves covering her face as Kate began to smile. "False alarm" Rick announced, looking across to see Alexis staring at the television. Alexis may be six but she could understand in a way what being pregnant was and he wanted to avoid her knowing about the panic that had just filled the apartment.

"That's good" the older redhead commented before walking over and gently pressing a kiss to Kate's forehead. "Calm down now sweetheart, you have nothing to worry about anymore" she whispered, the brunette nodding as Martha moved away and disappeared upstairs to her room.

"Daddy" Alexis announced, breaking the silence that had slowly crept into the apartment. "Watch a movie with me?" she asked, the writer nodding quickly as he laced his fingers with Kate and began to walk towards the couch where his daughter was already cuddled up into the corner. Sitting down, Kate smiled as she felt Alexis move to cuddle up beside her, the brunette's arms quickly wrapping around her to hold her close for a moment. This was her family right now and at the moment she didn't want that to change!

**I know pitifully short and everything but I wanted to address the problems mentioned in the last chapter that I wrote before disappearing off to China for a whole week! Thank you so much for your reviews and honestly, the amount of you who thought I was going to make Kate pregnant was unbelievable. However much I love writing pregnant Kate and family Caskett, this version of them certainly isn't ready for baby Caskett. **

**Anyway, please review. I love hearing from you and I hope to have the next chapter up quickly depending on the amount of reviews I receive. Also any ideas you want to see in this story please tell me, my brain has run out of cute Caskett scenes at the present moment in time and only wants to add angst. **


	52. Chapter 52

**A longer chapter to make up for how stupidly long it took the last chapter to get up because of the site. Jim Beckett returns to this story in this so I hope you enjoy this and please review, I love hearing from you. **

"Stress?" Rick asked as he stood in the kitchen with the brunette and watched her for a moment. "You've been late recently because of stress" he announced, her head nodding slowly as he moved closer and wrapped his arms around her; his lips moving to press against her forehead. Hearing the doorbell ring, Rick sighed as Kate turned around to look towards the door.

"Are we expecting someone?" the brunette asked in confusion.

"You're going to hate me Katie but please remember that you love me" he admitted as Kate stared at him in confusion before she moved away and approached the door. Opening the door, the brunette felt her smile disappear as she stared at the face of her father who was patiently waiting in the doorway. "Good afternoon Jim, do come in" Rick smiled, moving Kate away slightly as her father entered the apartment and smiled. "We need to tell him and you'd keep avoiding it until you were forced to tell him so I'm forcing you" he whispered in her ear before shutting the door and leading her towards the couch while she remained silent.

"Rick told me that you wanted to talk to me about something" Jim admitted as he stared across at his daughter who quickly sat down on the opposite couch and bit into her lip and stared down at her lap for a moment. "So what's going on?" the older man asked, surprised when he watched Kate move away from the writer when he attempted to wrap an arm around her. "Is everything okay with you two?" he asked, worried about the obvious tension between the couple.

"We're fine" Kate commented, not turning to look at the writer even though she could feel him watching her. "Dad, Rick called you because I have some news that I need to tell you" the brunette explained as her father began to nod slowly, guessing that there was something behind why he was at the Castle's apartment.

"Kate? Are you okay?" Jim asked quickly, worry filling his voice as his daughter shut her eyes for a moment and attempted to think of the best way to phrase her next statement. "Kate can you just tell me what's going on?" the older man asked.

"Dad I've joined the academy" the brunette blurted out, confusion covering Jim's face as he watched her for a moment.

"The academy?" he asked.

"The police dad, I'm joining the police force" Kate admitted as shock covered her father's face. His little girl. The beautiful little girl that he'd brought up was joining the police force! "I've sent off all the forms and everything, I just have to wait for a while before I go off for training and I'm excited dad. I want to do this daddy, I'm really looking forward to it" the brunette explained as she turned to see Rick staring at her with a small smile covering his face.

"But you've never wanted to be a cop Kate" Jim declared as he stared at her in confusion. "You didn't want to be a cop; you wanted to do something with books. You wanted to do something with literature, you have done since you were a teenager Katie" the older man explained as she stared at him before shrugging.

"Dad I want to be a cop. I want to help people dad" she admitted as he shook his head and quickly stood up, frustration covering his face as he thought about everything. The only person he had left. His beautiful little girl was going to put herself in danger. He read about cops who'd been shot and stabbed because of work they were doing in the papers constantly and the idea of his little girl being hurt because of her job terrified him. He couldn't lose Kate too.

"Then help people in another way Katie, please just help people in another way to this" he begged as tears filled his eyes. "I'm not going to lose you Kate, I'm not going to lose you like I lost your mom Katherine" he explained, her eyes shutting as she shook her head for a moment before standing up and shaking her head. "I'm not going to lose you Kate, I'm not going to lose you as well because I just lost your mom and you're my little girl" Jim announced as tears ran down Kate's cheek, her head shaking before she disappeared into Rick's room, not knowing what to say. "How could you let her do this?" he asked, turning to face the writer who was staring at him in silence. "You supposedly love her Richard! And yet here you are letting her do something this stupid. You should be stopping her from throwing away her life, not letting her do it".

"I'm supporting Kate because I love her Jim and Kate's so passionate about this Jim" he admitted as he stood up and stared at the older man. "I was just like you when she told me. I was terrified and my first thought wasn't just about her getting hurt but also about the idea of her attempting to solve Johanna's murder" he explained as the older man remained silent. "But Kate wants to do this and I'm not going to let anyone stand in the way of her ambition and that includes you. I understand that you're her father but she's not a little girl anymore. She turns nineteen in a few months Jim" he declared.

"I know how old my daughter is Richard! I was there when she was born! Sixteen hours my wife was in labour with my daughter and I remember holding her in my arms at six thirty in the morning when she was screaming and knowing that she was going to be doing great things when she grew up" he declared, furious at the writer. "I am not going to lose the only person I have left in my family Richard because she's decided to do something stupid with her life".

"She's not doing something stupid with her life Jim, she's doing something amazing. She wants to help people and she'll be amazing at it. I know Kate will put one hundred and ten per cent into this and she's going to be an amazing cop" Rick announced as the older man shook his head. "And Kate really wants you to support her Jim; she's desperate for you to be proud of her".

"I am proud of her Rick" he admitted. "I always have been proud of her but this isn't the best thing for her, she could be doing so much better with her life than becoming a cop" the older man explained before the room fell silent, the sound of Kate sobbing making both men look down for a moment. "I'm going to go, tell Kate that I love her and I'll talk to her tomorrow" he declared before he silently left the apartment. Standing, the writer sighed as he quickly walked towards the bedroom and pushed it open to find Kate lying on the bed cuddling a cushion.

"You okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine, stomach cramps but I'll be fine Rick. I'm always fine when I'm with you, you make everything go away" she sighed, the writer nodding as he moved to sat on the bed beside her. Lying down next to her, Rick smiled as he wrapped an arm around her before relaxing and holding her close to him as she shut her eyes. "He hates the idea doesn't he?" she mumbled, remembering the shock that had covered her father's face when she'd told him about the academy.

"He's just a protective father that's all. He'll warm to the idea when he sees how passionate you are about it Kate, he just needs to get used to the idea" Rick explained before pressing a kiss into her hair. "He's just being a protective father Kate" he declared, holding her close for a moment as she relaxed in her arms. "I was thinking about taking Alexis out tonight to the ballet. She's never been before and they have a really good company doing Swan Lake. I thought that maybe you'd like to come with us tonight" he admitted, her head nodding slowly before she turned in his arms and rested her head against his chest.

"No you two go tonight" she smiled, quickly pressing a kiss to his cheek before she began to relax in his arms. "She deserves some one on one daddy time with you Rick and I'm tired, I want to get some sleep and just have a chocolate binge without you watching me disgusted by how horrible it's going to be" the brunette declared before they both began to laugh at her comment.

"Well mother will be here to keep you company if you want it otherwise she'll probably just disappear into her bedroom and watch videos of herself" he admitted before he heard the front door creaking open and laughter filling the apartment. Hearing the bedroom door open, Rick turned to see the two redheads watching them from the doorway. "Hey strangers" Rick smiled, sitting up to look across at his mother and daughter.

"Daddy, I'm home" Alexis smiled as she jumped on the bed and quickly found herself buried in her father's arms while he began to press kisses into her hair while Kate and Martha just laughed at the two Castle's.

"Guess where I'm taking you tonight sweetheart" Rick laughed as the younger redhead stared up at him in confusion. "We're going to the ballet tonight, just the two of us Alexis" he declared, watching as her smile grew before Alexis threw her arms around his neck and remained close to him for a moment before she moved away and squealed.

"I need to go and get dressed in something pretty daddy, we're going to the ballet" the redhead squealed in excitement before running out of the room, Martha's eyes rolling before she slipped out of the room as well to leave them alone.

"I didn't expect her to be that excited about the ballet, I knew she'd like him but she's so excited about it" Rick laughed as Kate wrapped her arms around him and quickly pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"I think it's more the fact that she's having time alone with her daddy" Kate admitted before kissing him gently and smiling. "You need to have more alone time with her Rick, she needs to know that I'm not taking over your life and that she's still number one in her daddy's world" the brunette smiled as he nodded quickly and wrapped his arms around her. "Now Mr Castle, why don't you go and get dressed and take your little girl out for something special for dinner?" she smiled, the writer nodding before he slipped out of bed and walked towards his wardrobe while unbuttoning his shirt and throwing it onto the floor.

"You're amazing Kate, I don't think I've ever met a woman who cares so much about my little girl like you do" Rick admitted as he grabbed a shirt out of his wardrobe and began to pull it on over his body.

"I love her Rick, never doubt that and I hope you have an amazing night tonight" the brunette explained before she crawled over to the end of the bed and quickly kissed him, enjoying the feeling of him being close. "I love you Richard Castle, I love you and your crazy family" she smiled, a laugh leaving his lips as he kissed her again.

"Crazy family that's one way to describe us" he declared before turning to see Alexis standing in the doorway.

"Don't you look beautiful sweetheart" Kate smiled as Alexis turned in a midnight blue dress that she was wearing.

"Grams did my hair for me Katie" the redhead admitted as Kate nodded and climbed off the bed to quickly kiss the six year olds cheek. "I have curly hair today Kate like you do sometimes" she explained as Kate nodded and stared at the redhead's curls. "Daddy are we going now?" Alexis asked as she turned to look at her father who quickly nodded and smiled at the brunette.

"I'll see you later Kate, don't stay up waiting for me if you're tired" he explained before kissing her gently, the redhead groaning as she stared at him for a moment. "Right pumpkin, off to the ballet we go" he declared, taking hold of his daughter's hand as Alexis quickly waved at the brunette before allowing her father to lead her out of the room.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

"Rick told me you were going to have a chocolate binge" Martha laughed as she walked downstairs to find the brunette sat on the couch with a tub of chocolate ice cream. "Can I join in?" she asked, Kate nodding as she watched the redhead walk towards her with a spoon before sitting down in the space beside her and taking some of the ice cream. "I heard that your dad came over today" the redhead admitted as Kate nodded slowly before eating some more of the ice cream. "Want to talk about it?"

"He was furious Martha, he was so angry when I told him about becoming a cop" the brunette admitted as the redhead nodded and stared at her in silence for a moment. "I just want him to be happy for me. I mean this is the biggest decision of my life and he was furious when I told him that it was what I wanted to do with my life" she explained, her eyes shutting slowly as Martha wrapped an arm around her and allowed the brunette to cuddle up against her.

"He's just scared Kate, I mean you're his little girl and you're going into one of the most dangerous professions around" the redhead admitted as Kate nodded slowly. "If Rick came up to me and told me that he was joining the academy I would be terrified as well" she sighed, holding the younger woman close as Kate began to nod. "It's a parents job to worry about their children Kate, it's something that never changes especially when they start doing something dangerous" Martha sighed before pressing a kiss into Kate's hair. "Just give him time to adjust to the idea Katie" the redhead declared as Kate sighed. "And remember what you told Rick and Alexis today".

"What did I tell them today?" she asked.

"You told them to have one to one time, Rick told me before he left and I'll tell you something Kate. I think you and your dad need one to one time as well" the redhead explained as Kate began to nod in agreement. "You need to be in his life Kate because I've seen you at the moment. You've been shutting him out of your life since everything happened with your mom and no wonder he's scared because he hardly sees you as it is" she explained, Kate nodding as she relaxed.

"Martha can you tell Rick that I'll see him in a couple of days because I need to see dad?" Kate asked as she stood up and watched the writer for a moment. "I need to spend some time with my dad without thinking about other things starting from now and it'll be easier to go now rather than later" she admitted, Martha nodding as she quickly hugged the brunette and watched as Kate quickly disappeared into the bedroom to pack some things.

XOXOXOOXXOXOX

Slipping into his apartment, Rick sighed as he held a sleeping Alexis in his arms before approaching the stairs. Carrying Alexis upstairs, the writer slowly entered his daughter's bedroom and sighed as he rested her on the bed before removing her shoes and pulling the blanket over her body.

"I love you pumpkin" Rick admitted as he pressed a kiss into his daughter's hair before leaving the room. Hearing a door open, the writer turned as he found his mother staring at him in her pyjamas. "Is Kate asleep?" he asked quickly as Martha sighed.

"She's gone to stay at her dad's for a couple of days. We were talking about what happened earlier and then she decided that she needed one on one time with her dad, especially with everything that's happened recently with her mom and the drinking and also her job" she admitted, the writer nodding quickly as he remained silent for a moment before sighing. "How was the ballet?" Martha asked.

"She adored it, I don't think she even blinked during the performance. She kept gasping at all of the lifts" he laughed remembering his daughter's excitement as Martha nodded while she watched her son walk down the stairs, knowing that he was upset that Kate hadn't stayed to say goodbye before she left.

"Goodnight Rick" Martha called down after him.

"Goodnight mother" he whispered, disappearing out of sight as he entered his bedroom in silence.

XOXOXOXOXOXOO

Knocking on her apartment door, Kate sighed as she heard footsteps and watched as the door slowly opened. Staring at her father for the moment, Kate felt a small smile cover her face as she bit into her lips and dropped the bag she'd brought with her onto the floor. Wrapping her arms around her father, Kate felt tears run down her cheeks as she buried her head into his shoulder.

"Welcome home Katie" he whispered into her hair as she nodded.


	53. Chapter 53

"Look at your hair dad, what were you thinking that day?" Kate laughed as she stared at the photograph of her father and mother when they'd first started dating. "What did mom see in you with hair like that?" she asked as Jim shook his head and quickly wrapped an arm around his daughter to hold her close as he enjoyed the fact that she was smiling again. The previous evening had been simple and easy. He'd answered the door to his daughter who quickly hugged him while they both said apologies before entering the apartment and making a cup of tea; the two of them talking briefly before disappearing into their rooms for the night!

"Not everything is about looks Katherine Beckett, your mother loved my personality actually and then loved me for my looks when I actually bothered to sort my hair out" he admitted before staring at the image. His arms were wrapped around Johanna who was laughing over something he'd said before the photo had been taken. "I proposed a week after this photo was taken actually" he admitted, amazement covering her face as she looked up at him.

"Tell me about how you proposed to mom again dad" she declared, shocking her father slightly. He knew that his daughter knew about the proposal off by heart. Johanna had told the story to their daughter since she'd been able to understand and he couldn't help but be shocked that Kate wanted to hear about it. "Dad, please tell me" the brunette whispered before Jim nodded and sighed, staring down at the wedding ring that continued to decorate his finger. He couldn't bring himself to take it off. He'd made a promise to love Johanna till death parted them and he knew that there wasn't going to be anyone else in his life.

"I planned the whole evening to perfection. The dinner, the music, where and when I was going to propose" he smiled as Kate nodded, bringing her feet up onto the couch before she wrapped her arms around her knees to listen to him. "I was late home from work so I dressed quickly and ended up ripping my jacket so I decided to go without it. When I left the apartment it was pouring with rain and I was running late already and then the traffic was a nightmare so I arrived at your mom's apartment an hour late" he smiled as Kate nodded, remembering how her mom had laughed over the fact. "Your mom thought I wasn't coming and she was furious when I answered the door soaking wet and complaining about how everything was going wrong" he admitted, remembering how cold he'd been in his shirt that had gotten soaked because of the pouring rain between the car and the apartment building.

"What happened then?" she asked quickly as he rolled his eyes at her comment.

"You know what happened then Kate, you know this story off by heart" Jim smiled, Kate shrugging quickly before she relaxed back into the couch while remaining silent. "So I managed to persuade her to let me take her to dinner but she made the valid point, as she always did, that the restaurant would have given our table away so I took her stupidly to this diner down the road from where she lived at the time, she refused to talk to me originally because I'd promised that I would spoil her because our anniversary was coming up and I wasn't going to be in the area because of work".

"And…?" Kate asked.

"I explained everything to her and she saw how guilty I was feeling about the whole thing. She took my hand and laughed at the whole thing, just telling me that I should have called her earlier in the day and that she wasn't angry because I had been late to pick her up but instead was angry because she didn't know where I was and anything could have happened to me" Jim explained as Kate nodded slowly and smiled weakly at her father's explanation. "After that, we just relaxed and she was her normal jokey self and we just enjoyed our evening. She moaned when I got ketchup down my shirt and that my hair desperately needed cutting because I was beginning to look scruffy" he smiled, Kate's eyes rolling before she stared at the photograph in amusement.

"And then what?" she asked.

"We could have had this finished earlier Katherine if you stopped acting like the interrupting four year old you were fourteen years ago" he smiled before tickling her gently, laughing when she began to squeal at the feeling. "Anyway, we were sharing a milkshake and I was just watching her like I always seemed to do and it just came out. Completely unplanned and against everything I'd done. I'd had it all planned. I was going to wait for dessert at the restaurant and get down on one knee and ask her in front of this posh restaurant" he admitted as Kate nodded slowly. "But at the restaurant just watching her, I realised that there wasn't anything else that mattered than making your mom my wife Kate" he smiled as Kate watched him, taking in the small smile that was covering her father's face at the mention of her mother. "I just asked her because I realised I didn't want a drama and attention, I just wanted to ask the woman that I was madly in love with to become my wife and I did. I asked her over a chocolate milkshake and watched as she choked and nodded before laughing at the fact".

"And the only part of the evening that went right was her saying yes?" Kate asked, remembering what her mother had told her.

"Exactly! Even the ring was wrong Kate; it was too big because your mom had lost weight. It was a nightmare but in the end it turned out to be perfect" the man laughed before they fell silent for a moment looking down at the image. "I don't regret any of the days I spent with your mom Kate. We fought but we loved each other every moment we were together and you were the most amazing thing we did" he declared, pressing a kiss into his daughter's hair as she cuddled into his side and shut her eyes.

"You made her so happy daddy, everyone said so" Kate admitted as she hugged him. "Well everyone except gram" she laughed as Jim groaned at the thought of his mother in law.

"Ah yes your grandmother. She never liked me, I wasn't enough for your mother" the older man laughed as Kate nodded. "Do you remember that horrid jumper she bought you for Christmas?" he asked.

"Which one? All of them were horrid dad. Mom made me wear them so I didn't hurt her feelings when we went to see her and I always tried to hide them" Kate smiled, remembering the numerous amount of times her mother had found her hiding places before forcing her into wearing the jumpers her mother had bought and sometimes even made. "I love you dad, I'm sorry that I haven't been around very often recently but I do love you so much" Kate admitted, tears filing her eyes as they fell silent for a moment. "I want you to be proud of me daddy. I need you to be proud of me for wanting to help people".

"I'll be proud of whatever you do Katie. You're my beautiful little girl and I've been proud of everything you've done in your life from the ballet recitals when you were tiny and so quiet to your school results and everything you've achieved" he explained as his arms tightened around her, his mind filling with thoughts of his daughter becoming a cop. "You have to be careful Kate, I can't lose you too sweetheart" he admitted, burying his head into her hair for a moment.

"I'm not going anywhere daddy" she smiled, leaning up to look at him as he watched her in silence for a moment. "I've got something to live for daddy. I'm not lost anymore daddy, I know who I am and who I want to be. I want to be a detective, I want to help people get the closure that we're not getting" she explained as her father nodded slowly, knowing in his heart that Rick had been right about how passionate Kate was about the idea.

"You really want this don't you Kate?" he sighed as she quickly nodded her head and smiled. "Please be save though, I don't want any phone calls saying that you've been shot" Jim declared as Kate slowly nodded before pressing a kiss to her father's cheek, surprised that he had changed his mind over one night. "I still don't like the idea though Kate but I guess Rick was right".

"Right?" Kate asked.

"That you're not my little girl anymore Kate. You're turning nineteen soon, I need to accept that you're not my baby anymore. I have to accept the fact that you're growing up and that you're going to have more serious relationships with men like Rick and that you're going to do things that I'm not completely comfortable about such as becoming a cop" he smiled as Kate nodded before hugging him again, not knowing what else to do. Hearing the phone ring, Jim sighed as he reached across for the screaming object as Kate relaxed back in the couch. "I had a feeling that it would be you" Jim laughed as Kate's eyebrows rose. "I'll put her on the line" Jim declared before looking across at his daughter. "Rick for you" he smiled, passing the phone to her before he left the room in silence.

"Hello" Kate muttered down the phone.

"It was strange coming home last night to my mother telling me that my girlfriend had disappeared home without saying goodbye to me" Rick declared as the brunette groaned down the line. "How are things going with your dad?" he asked quickly before she could respond to his earlier comment.

"Things are going good. We've talked about my mom and we've also discussed the whole academy idea" Kate explained as she relaxed back into the couch while she listened to her father singing along to the radio in the kitchen. "He's a lot more positive about things Rick, apparently your talk with him has helped him realise that I'm growing up" she announced in amusement. "How was the ballet?"

"Alexis loved it, she couldn't keep her eyes off the dancers. I'm sure she didn't blink throughout the whole performance" Rick smiled as Kate nodded. "She misses you though, she missed having her usual morning cuddle with her Katie today when she woke up" he admitted as the brunette groaned at the mention of Alexis.

"I know I shouldn't have just left like that last night but I needed to come and see my dad and if I stayed at yours I wouldn't have got the courage to leave in the morning" she sighed, running her fingers through her dark hair as her father's singing got louder and worse.

"You don't need to explain yourself to me Kate. You needed to go home last night and spend some time with your dad. I understand that Kate because I have a little girl of my own and we needed that time last night" he admitted as the brunette began to nod along to his comment. "Thank you for making me go out with her last night, it was nice to just spend some time alone with her although we both miss you" he declared.

"I miss you too" she smiled as her father entered the room and mouthed something at her. Nodding in response to her father's actions, Kate sighed as she bit into her lip for a moment. "Rick, dad wants to invite you to dinner tomorrow night" she declared.

"He's not going to shoot me is he? I mean we didn't leave the last conversation on good terms" Rick admitted, his worry obvious as Kate laughed and looked across at her father who was now concentrating on the crossword.

"Of course he doesn't want to kill you Rick, he likes you and he knows that if he killed you, he wouldn't see me again" Kate smiled, watching as her father looked across at her. "Your mother and Alexis are invited of course, he wants to see them as well" the brunette added as Jim nodded slowly and returned to what he was doing.

"Mother, Alexis and I will be there tomorrow for dinner then" he declared as his smile grew at the idea. Dinner with Jim Beckett! "So I'll be seeing you tomorrow Kate?" the writer asked quickly as silence began to take over.

"You'll be seeing me tomorrow Rick" she declared as she looked across at her father. "For dinner".

"And will you be staying at your dad's tomorrow night or will you be coming home with me?" he asked, confusion covering her face as she realised what the writer had just said. Home! He'd said that she would be coming home with him! Was the loft her home now? Where was her home? "Kate are you okay?" Rick questioned, concern filling his voice.

"I'm fine" she whispered before sighing. "Look I've got to go, I'll see you tomorrow at dinner. Six o'clock okay?" she announced quickly before the writer said goodbye and listened as she hung up and put the phone down.

"Everything okay Kate?" Jim asked as he watched her for a moment.

"Everything's fine" she lied before standing up and walking over to look at the crossword, noticing that her father was missing a word. Reading the clue, the brunette smiled as she realised she knew the world. "Narcissus" she stated.

"What?" he asked.

"Narcissus. Greek myth about a man who fell in love with his own reflection" she explained as her father stared at her in amazement, knowing that he hadn't been the one to teach his daughter about Greek mythology. "Rick and I were talking about it a while ago. He was having a few days when he was obsessed about mythology so we read some books" Kate admitted, watching as her father scribbled down the word. "How do you read that dad? Your writing is illegible" she smirked.

"You can talk Miss Beckett; your writing is just as bad as mine. Sometimes it's even worse actually" Jim declared, watching as his daughter rolled her eyes at his comment. "Your mother was the only person with legible writing in this family Kate" he added as Kate nodded and took the seat beside her father. "So how many people am I cooking for tomorrow?"

"Five" she smiled. "The five of us".

**I was going to continue on to having the dinner in this chapter as well but I just loved focusing on Kate and Jim and decided anymore would have been too much for this chapter! **

**Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter too and review, I adore hearing from you and your comments are going down again which does worry me even though I do know the site is being a pain at times! **


	54. Chapter 54

**I hope you like this chapter; it's a lot lighter than the other chapters I've written recently. There are a lot more family moments within this chapter and I'm planning on having more Alexis/Kate moments soon because everyone seems to love them! **

Answering the door, Kate smiled as she stared at the man who was standing in the doorway with a bouquet of flowers covering his face. Laughing gently, Kate smiled as Rick moved the roses away from his face before moving closer and wrapping his free hand around her waist; bringing her close to his body again. Running her hands to his cheeks, the brunette smiled before she leant up and gently pressed a kiss to his lips, not surprised when the kiss immediately deepened into more than they'd originally expected.

"I've missed you Katie, my bed is so cold without a certain beautiful brunette curled up next to me when I wake up and fall asleep" Rick whispered as they moved away from each other slightly, her eyes rolling before she kissed him again, enjoying the feeling of his arm tightening around her.

"Where's Martha and Alexis?" she asked quickly, noticing that the two redhead's weren't present. "They are coming right?" she announced, pulling away from him so she could see his face clearly.

"They're coming upstairs right now, Alexis didn't want to get the elevator for some reason so she's coming up the stairs with my mother and I really wanted to see you Kate" the writer explained before Kate nodded and leaned forward, wanting to take another kiss from him. Hearing laughter, Kate sighed as she pulled away from the writer and watched as Alexis came into sight; her red hair pulled back from her face as she ran towards the brunette and jumped into her arms. Lifting the redhead into her arms, Kate smiled as Alexis' arms tightened around her neck.

"I've missed you sweetheart" Kate whispered into Alexis' hair before she put the redhead down again and quickly knelt down in front of her. Running her fingers up to Alexis' cheeks, Kate smiled as the six year old beamed at her before wrapping her arms around Kate's neck again. "I hear that daddy took you to the ballet, did you have fun?" the brunette asked, knowing already that the little girl had enjoyed the ballet more than anything.

"It was amazing Katie, they stood on their toes for ages. I bet it really hurts" Alexis admitted as excitement covered her face. "They were all dressed in white too and they were so pretty Katie, I wish you could have come with us" she added as Kate smiled before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Alexis' forehead.

"Next time, I'll come with you" Kate explained, quickly pressing a kiss to her forehead again before standing up and looking at Martha who was stood proudly beside her son. "Hello Martha" Kate greeted, the redhead nodding before she walked over and gently kissed Kate's cheek. "Thank you for the advice" Kate whispered in her ear as Martha beamed and slowly nodded.

"I'm glad that you're happy again Katherine" the redhead smiled before moving away. "Now where is your father?" she asked quickly, looking around to see the apartment seemed to be dark everywhere else.

"He's right behind you" Jim smiled, everyone turning as the older man stood in the doorway with a collection of shopping bags around his feet. "I'm sorry, work was a bit chaotic and I only just left the shops because people were going so ridiculously slow it was unbelievable" he explained, Rick and Martha quickly shrugging at his explanation before he reached down to grab the bags he'd dropped.

"Can I help?" Alexis asked as a smile covered Jim Beckett's face.

"Of course you can sweetheart" Jim agreed as Rick's arm wrapped around Kate, the two of them smiling at the older man and the six year old girl. "Why don't you help me bring the bags into the kitchen and then if your daddy lets you, you can help me make dinner for everyone?" Jim suggested, laughing when Alexis immediately turned and stared at her beaming father.

"Daddy please can I help make dinner" the redhead squealed as Rick nodded and watched as his daughter picked up one of the bags and disappeared behind Jim Beckett into the kitchen.

"I better go and supervise before something goes wrong" Martha announced before she joined Alexis and Jim into the kitchen a few moments later. Staring at the brunette, Rick smiled as his hands met behind her back while Kate's smile grew at the contact. She was glad to see her father interacting more with Alexis because the little girl meant so much to her and she knew that Alexis was desperate to be liked by the older man.

"So I was thinking that we're going to be alone for a while so why don't we sneak into my room for a while and have a catch up?" Kate smiled as her fingers began to play with Rick's shirt, shock covering his face as he looked down at her in amazement. "Not that Rick" she laughed before rolling her eyes and leaning up to kiss him. "I just thought we could go to my room, be alone for a while. We could kiss for a while and then talk" she explained, his head nodding at her explanation before they entwined fingers. Leading him towards her bedroom, Kate smiled as she heard laughter from the kitchen. Opening her bedroom door, the brunette smiled as Rick's arms tightly wrapped around her again before his lips began to press into her neck. "What did you do yesterday with Alexis?" she asked.

"We made forts and just played games together. It was a nice day actually" he admitted as she turned in his arms and smiled. "She missed you though Kate" he explained, kissing her gently as she groaned onto his lips. "But having one on one time with my baby was nice" the writer announced, pressing a kiss to her forehead as Kate sighed and began to play with his shirt again. "Something on your mind?" he asked.

"Nothing, just thinking about how much I love this Rick" she admitted, confusion covering his face as he moved them towards the bed. Sitting down on the bed, Rick smiled as Kate sat in between his legs and relaxed back against his chest. "Our two families having dinner together, it's just nice especially seeing dad become more involved with Alexis" Kate smiled in amusement before sighing.

"Why don't we go and join them? We could go and spend time with our family instead of making out in your bedroom like horny teenagers?" Rick asked, Kate nodding quickly as they both smiled and climbed off the bed.

XOXOOXOOXOXO

"Rick stop eating the cheese" Kate laughed as she hit his hand gently when he attempted to sneak more cheese from the bowl while everyone laughed at the interaction. "There won't be any left" she warned, Jim smiling as he watched his daughter smile as the writer wrapped his arms around her and quickly pressed a kiss to her cheek. "No, you can't kiss me and think that means you're forgiven for stealing food Richard Castle, you're not going to be forgiven for being childish" she laughed, moving out of his arms as the writer rolled his eyes at her and began to press kisses to her cheeks as everyone laughed.

"Right everyone out of the kitchen except for my sous chef" Jim smiled as he looked down at the six year old who was staring at him with a large smile on her face.

"Get out daddy and Katie out, out, out. Chef's only in the kitchen" the redhead ordered, pushing her father's legs as Rick laughed and began to walk out of the room with his mother and girlfriend. Approaching the table, Kate smiled as she stared at the table that already been set. "Watch out daddy" Alexis laughed as she walked through carrying a plate of garlic bread while Jim followed her with a bowl of spaghetti Bolognese. "Food is now ready" the redhead cheered as Rick took the plate from her before putting it on the table and pulling a chair out for her. Smiling at his daughter, Jim sighed as he watched the brunette rest her hand on Alexis' shoulder before pressing a kiss into her hair and sitting down.

"She didn't get in the way did she?" Rick asked as he looked across at the older man who was sat beside Martha. "She just likes to be helpful".

"She was actually very helpful, she reminds me so much of Kate when she was little" Jim smiled as he looked across at Alexis and Kate who were currently serving food to everyone. "Although she didn't do something that Kate did all the time" he added as a small smirk began to cover his face as Kate looked up at him.

"Dad" Kate warned.

"What's that then Jim?" Rick asked.

"Your daughter didn't steal any of the cheese" he smiled as shock covered Rick's face as he turned to look at the brunette who was now looking away from him and at Alexis instead.

"Katherine Beckett you hypocrite" Rick announced as Martha and Jim both laughed in amazement at the look that was covering the writer's face.

XOXOOXXOXOXO

"So what are your plans for the rest of the week?" Kate asked as she sat on the couch with the writer while Alexis remained asleep across them; her head in Kate's lap as she slept perfectly. Running her fingers through Alexis' hair, Kate sighed as she looked across at the writer who was smiling at her as he relaxed. Jim and Martha had both left ten minutes ago both of them needing to get to meetings for completely different reasons.

"I don't know Kate. It depends on what my girlfriend is doing for the rest of this week" the writer admitted as she sighed and looked down, remembering the confusion she'd felt yesterday when he called the loft home. "Are you coming back home with us tonight Kate?" he asked.

"That's the problem Rick" Kate admitted as she reached across and found his hand. "Where is home to me?" the brunette asked as the writer squeezed her hand. "Honestly, I don't know where home is anymore Rick. Is it here or is it at the loft?" she sighed, shutting her eyes as the writer held her hand tightly and sighed before bringing her hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to her palm.

"It's where you feel safe and loved Kate. People can have more than one home Katie, all that matters is that you're happy there" he smiled as her eyes opened to look down at the redhead who was fast asleep still. "I love having you at the loft Kate and so do Alexis and my mother" he announced as she smiled and nodded. "I just want you to be happy whether that's at the loft or here".

"So you don't mind if some nights I come back here so I can spend time with dad?" she asked as he shook his head and smiled at her.

"Kate you haven't moved into the loft, you're allowed to spend time wherever you want as long as it makes you happy" he declared, moving closer to her as she smiled and squeezed his hand. "I better take her home, she's completely out of it" Rick admitted, staring at his daughter in amusement before looking up to see Kate's head shaking.

"Please don't" she muttered. "Stay tonight, both of you" Kate begged, shock covering his face at her suggestion before he slipped out from under his daughter's feet and stood up. "Put her in my room, we can camp out on the floor tonight" the brunette declared as he nodded and lifted Alexis into his arms. Standing, Kate smiled as she walked towards her bedroom and pushed the door open before pulling the blankets away as Rick rested a fast asleep Alexis on the bed before Kate sat down and wrapped the blanket around her. "Goodnight sweetheart" Kate smiled before pressing a kiss to Alexis' head and moving away to let Rick kiss her.

"Will you dad mind me staying tonight?" he asked as they slowly left the room together.

"As long as we're not jumping on the beds he'll be find with you being here" she explained, kissing him gently before opening a door and pulling out a couple of blankets and some cushions. "Want to make a bed in my room or in the living room?" she asked.

"Better make a bed in your room in case Alexis panics when she wakes up because she doesn't know where she is" the writer explained as Kate nodded and sighed. "I love you Kate, I love you so much" he smiled, Kate nodding before she kissed him gently. "Now why don't you go and get ready for bed and I'll make a bed for the night?" he suggested as she nodded and found her pyjamas before slipping into her en-suite. Making the bed, Rick smiled when the door opened and he looked up to see Kate staring at him. "Come on beautiful, bed time" he laughed as he began to remove his jeans before slipping into the bed he'd made while Kate curled up beside him.

"So on a mark of one to ten with one being unbelievably bad to ten being fantastic, how did tonight go?" she asked as the writer smiled and wrapped an arm around her.

"Eleven" he smiled against her neck as she relaxed. "It was nice to have your dad more involved, Alexis was so happy to spend time with him because she knows how much you love him and how important he is to you" he admitted, remembering the smile that had covered Alexis' face when Jim had allowed her to help cooking.

"Daddy?" Alexis asked, shocking both adults who sat up quickly to find the redhead staring at them in confusion. "Daddy?" the redhead asked again.

"Hey sweetheart, we're just down here. Go back to sleep, it's late and you've had a busy day today pumpkin" Rick smiled as Alexis groaned.

"Why don't you come and join us Alexis?" Kate asked quickly as the redhead nodded and jumped out of bed before running over to join them. Lifting the blanket up, Kate smiled when the redhead climbed in beside her and cuddled into her side. Wrapping her arms around the six year old, Kate smiled as Rick relaxed beside her and quickly pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "Goodnight" the brunette muttered.

"Goodnight Katie" Alexis whispered as Rick smiled at his daughter who was buried into Kate's side almost asleep again. "I love you" the redhead admitted.

"I love you too Alexis, I love you so much little one now get some sleep" Kate smiled, pressing a kiss into Alexis' hair before relaxing as Rick's arms tightened around her body. "I love you Rick" she added.

"I love you Kate, always" he stated before shutting his eyes, sleep overtaking them quickly.


	55. Chapter 55

**This is my longest ever chapter so I really hope that you enjoy it! It's full of a lot of characters that we haven't seen in a while! **

**Please review! It means so much to me and I love hearing all your ideas and thoughts on the story because it makes me want to write more of the story and it just reminds me that there are readers out there! **

"Daddy what are you doing?" Alexis yawned as she walked down the stairs to find her father blowing up balloons in the kitchen, a small smile covering his face as he watched his daughter walk over to him slowly before jumping onto a chair next to him. "Is this for Katie's birthday daddy?" the redhead asked as the writer nodded and smiled at his little girl.

"Yes pumpkin, I thought we'd give Katie a surprise party today. So now Miss Castle, what are you doing awake?" the writer asked quickly as she shrugged and began to play with one of the balloons that Rick had just finished with. "Come on pumpkin, you should be in bed" he smiled as he stood up and watched her.

"You should both be in bed, it's stupid o'clock in the morning and no one should be awake right now" a voice declared as both Castle's looked up to see Kate standing staring at them in one of Rick's dressing gowns. Hiding the balloons they were holding behind their backs, Rick and Alexis smiled as the brunette laughed at them gently before walking over. "What are you two doing awake at this time in the morning anyway?" she asked, noticing the bright pink balloon that was hidden behind Alexis' back. "Rick you're not…?" Kate declared, looking up at the writer who gave her a guilty look.

"I wanted to give you a surprise Katie for your birthday" he admitted, smiling when she walked over and gently kissed him before sighing. "It's your first birthday with us Kate and you weren't going to let us give you a party so I had to plan a surprise didn't I?" he sighed, wrapping an arm around her waist as Alexis yawned. Noticing the redhead yawning, Kate smiled as she moved away from the writer and lifted the six year old into her arms.

"Come on trouble, bedtime" Kate laughed as she carried the redhead upstairs as Rick watched while blowing up more balloons. Entering the redhead's bedroom, Kate smiled as she rested the six year old on the bed and smiled before pressing a kiss to her forehead and smiling. "I will see you in a couple of hour's sweetheart when it's a sensible time for little girls to be awake" she whispered as Alexis nodded and began to relax in bed. Slipping out of the room, Kate smiled as she walked downstairs to find the writer still blowing up balloons. "Now Mr Writer man are you coming back to bed with me?" she asked quickly.

"Well I do need to finish my girlfriends no longer a surprise party, surprise party" Rick declared as Kate smiled and walked over to him. Wrapping her arms around the brunette, the writer quickly kissed her as her fingers ran through his hair. Moving her fingers from his hair, the brunette smiled as she moved her lips gently down his neck as the writer began to run her fingers under Kate's t-shirt. "What are you planning Katherine?" he whispered as she continued to kiss his neck.

"If you want my birthday to begin with an amazing start, we can go into our bedroom and jump on the bed for as long as we have physically possible" the brunette declared as the writer nodded and immediately lifted her bridal style into his arms as she squealed. "I think today is going to be amazing Mr Castle" she admitted as he nodded and began to carry her towards their bedroom.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"So why were you really arranging a surprise party Rick? You already knew I would kill you if you did one" she asked as she turned in the bed to look at him, his arms wrapping around her as she stared at him. "Tell me" she begged, linking her fingers with his as he sighed and ran his free hand to her cheek.

"I wanted to make today special because your mom isn't here to celebrate with us for the first time" he admitted, shock covering her face as she took in what he'd said. "I wanted to make you smile and laugh so you didn't think about your mom too much today Kate and I know it wasn't going to stop the pain but I wanted to at least numb it for some of the day" the writer explained as she smiled and gently pressed a kiss to his lips.

"Thank you Rick" she smiled before cuddling up next to him as his arms tightened around her. "She would want me to be happy today. It was a rule that no one was allowed to be sad on their birthdays because we should be grateful to have life" the brunette explained as tears filled her eyes while the writer drew patterns on her bare stomach with his fingers. "She knew how to throw a party Rick. Every year we did something new for my birthday, parties and restaurants. You name it when probably did it" Kate admitted before she laughed as silent tears ran down her cheeks. "It was amazing, all my friend were jealous".

"She did seem like someone who knew how to party Kate" he commented as Kate nodded and pressed a kiss to his chest as his arms tightened around her. "Tell me something else about her" the writer whispered as she fell silent for a moment.

"On my birthday she'd wake up really early to make sure she could make me breakfast before I woke up and then she'd come into my room with breakfast and wake me up. We would sit on my bed and eat breakfast and my dad would come in later and join us for when I opened my presents. We did it every year since I can remember" the brunette admitted as the writer nodded and pressed a kiss into her hair. "It's strange waking up in someone else's bed on my birthday, it's even weirder when I wake up on my birthday and end up making love to the man of my dreams before four am" she explained, moving to kiss him quickly before relaxing back in bed and sighing. "I miss her so much Rick".

"I know you do Katie but she's here with you" he admitted as he ran his fingers to above her heart. "She's always going to be in your heart and she's always going to be with you in your memories, just look at what you told me Katie" the writer explained as she nodded and shut her eyes. "You have eighteen years' worth of memories Kate and nothing will ever stop you from smiling at them when you think about them" he declared as she nodded. "Can I give you one of my presents now Kate?" he asked, her head nodding slowly as he moved and opened the drawer of the bedside table next to the bed. Pulling the envelope out, the writer sighed as he sat up and stared down at her for a moment, smiling when the brunette turned to face him. "Here" he whispered, handing the envelope to her as she sat up and held the sheet around her chest.

"What is it Rick?" she asked as she undid the envelope and slowly lifted the papers out. "Rick what's this?" she declared as she stared at the documents.

"This is the documentation for a scholarship I'm starting Kate" he admitted as the brunette stared at him in confusion. "The Johanna Beckett scholarship" he declared, shock covering her face as she began to read through the text that was in her hands. "I know I should have talked to you first Kate but I wanted to do something for you and your mom and for all the people out there who want to do what she dedicated her life too" he admitted, falling silent when she quickly pressed a kiss to his lips.

"You brilliant wonderful caring man" Kate laughed as tears ran down her cheeks. Wrapping his arms around her, Rick smiled as he pulled her onto his lap. "I love you Rick, I love you so much" the brunette declared as she continued to cry.

"We have to have a fund raiser of course which I am arranging it at the moment but its' practically all arranged and finished and I would love it if you'd help me with the finishing touches for the event" he explained as she nodded and stared at him in shock, still amazed about what he'd done for her and her mother's memory.

"She would have loved what you're doing for her Rick, it's something that she would have dreamed about" she admitted before looking at the time to see that it was half past five in the morning. "Rick, can we go somewhere before everyone wakes up?" she asked as he nodded and watched her slip out of bed before grabbing her clothes from the previous evening.

"Where are we going sweetheart?" he asked as he climbed out of bed and began to change as well while she remained silent and finished pulling her jacket on. Turning to look at the writer, Kate sighed as he walked over and wrapped his arms around her before kissing her gently. "Going to tell me where we're going Katie?" he questioned as she sighed and entwined fingers with him.

"I want to see my mom Rick, I haven't been to her grave since the funeral and I want to go today before people start calling saying happy birthday and start bringing her up" she admitted as he nodded slowly and allowed her to lead him out of the bedroom as he remained silent attempting to work out whether it was a good idea or not.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Approaching the grave, Kate sighed as she moved closer to the writer who held her close as she stared at the stone in silence. Johanna Beckett, loving wife and mother was etched onto the gravestone along with the date of her birth and the date of her death. Kneeling down, Kate felt a tear run down her cheek as she began to brush away the dead flowers that covered her mother's grave while wishing that she'd found somewhere to buy flowers before coming. Resting his hand on Kate's shoulder, Rick sighed as he remained silent not knowing what exactly to say at that moment. Turning her head, Kate smiled weakly as she stood up and allowed the writer to wrap his arms protectively around her. Relaxing back against his chest, Kate sighed as she watched the sun rise around them while they both stayed silent, not wanting to disturb the moment they were sharing in remembering Johanna Beckett.

XOXOXOXOXO

Slipping into the apartment, Kate sighed as she removed her coat and felt the writer's arms wrap around gently. Smiling, Kate turned to kiss the writer gently before they both heard Martha shouting and a door slamming.

"What the hell is going on?" Rick asked as he ran up the stairs to see a familiar redhead standing in his daughter's bedroom. "Meredith what the hell are you doing here?" Rick declared as his ex-wife turned and smiled at him before Alexis ran over and wrapped her arms around her father's legs. "Pumpkin why don't you go downstairs and read a book with Katie?" he suggested as Alexis nodded and quickly ran out of the room.

"Katie is still here then?" Meredith asked before laughing. "Not finished with that one yet Richard? Not bored of her yet" she commented as Rick groaned, already noticing by the way that she was acting that she was drunk.

"What are you doing here Meredith?" the writer asked, becoming more frustrated when Meredith grabbed the bag from under Alexis' bed before throwing some clothes in it. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, reaching across to take the bag from the redhead.

"I'm taking Alexis away for the week. I'm her mother and I have the right to take her places when I want too" she declared as Rick groaned. "I carried her for nine months Richard, I gave birth to her".

"But you've never been a mother to her Meredith. You didn't breast feed her because you were worried about the effect it would have on your breasts, you didn't wake up when she cried because you apparently needed your beauty sleep, and you didn't care for her like a mother should because you were too desperate to be an actress. You just used her for publicity and to show off when you needed too" he announced as the redhead stared at him. "So no Meredith you won't be taking my daughter anywhere, so get out of my house and learn how to use a phone" he declared, furious at his ex-wife for even thinking she could take Alexis away.

"She's my daughter too Ricky, you forget that" Meredith wined, sounding like a two year old.

"Not since you decided that sleeping around was more important than the care of your own daughter" he declared before walking towards the door. Leaving the room, the writer sighed as he quickly walked down the stairs and found himself looking at the brunette who was curled up into the corner of the couch with Alexis on her lap while they both read the book together. "Hey" he whispered, moving towards the couch as Kate shut the book and smiled at him before playing with Alexis' hair.

"She's not going to take me away is she?" Alexis asked as Kate's arms tightened around her protectively.

"You're not going anywhere sweetheart, I promise. We're not going to let her take you away from us Alexis" Kate whispered before pressing a kiss into Alexis' hair and relaxing as the redhead curled up in her arms. "Come on sweetheart, why don't we go into daddy's room and try and finish our book?" the brunette asked as Alexis jumped off her lap and disappeared into the bedroom before Kate looked across at the writer.

"I promise, I'll get rid of her and then we can start the festivities properly Katie" he smiled, leaning across to kiss her gently as Kate sighed and nodded before disappearing into the bedroom. Hearing movement, Rick sighed as he looked up to see Meredith walking down the stairs with a large smile covering her face. "Are you leaving now?" he asked.

"No! Not until I've spent some time with my little girl" the redhead announced, sitting herself down on the other couch as Rick groaned. "I see there are balloons everywhere Rick, whose birthday is it?" she asked.

"Well it wouldn't be Alexis' because you've already missed that" the writer stated as Meredith rolled her eyes. "She waited for a phone call Meredith but once again you disappointed her by not calling to just say happy birthday Alexis" he stated, not surprised when the redhead shrugged and relaxed back. Hearing the floorboards creak, the writer turned to see Kate walking towards the kitchen. "You should be relaxing and enjoying your birthday, birthday girl" Rick smiled as he stood up and walked over to her.

"Alexis and I wanted some drinks" she admitted, knowing that the writer was trying desperately to annoy his ex-wife. "I wish you could come and join us writer man, you do the voices better than I do" Kate admitted before she kissed him gently and wrapped her arms around his neck while Meredith rolled her eyes at the couple. "Hello Meredith" Kate smiled as she looked across to see the redhead staring at her.

"I see you're still around Katherine" the redhead stated as Kate nodded and felt Rick's arms tighten around her.

"Katie, we need to finish the book" Alexis screamed from the bedroom as Kate laughed and looked at the writer quickly.

"Go and finish the book beautiful, people are arriving at eleven so you'll need to finish your book before that" he stated as shock covered her face. "Well it was going to be a surprise party Kate, people of course were coming to celebrate your birthday" he explained as Kate nodded and kissed him again before moving away and disappearing into the bedroom again. "Now Meredith, are you going to leave or am I going to have to call the police?" he asked.

"And tell them what?" she asked as a groan left the writer's lips. "All I want to do is spend some time with my little girl Richard, it's not like I'm asking for a lot".

"You can't spend time with her today, it's Kate's birthday and we're having a party" he explained as the redhead shrugged.

"So? Kate isn't her mother so Alexis doesn't need to be here. I'm her mother so she should be spending time with me instead" the redhead declared as he watched her in amazement before shaking his head at how stupid her comment was.

"Alexis hardly knows you Meredith, you're never around" the writer explained before he stood up and walked towards the door. "Can you please leave and then maybe you can call later and we'll discuss you coming to see Alexis later in the week?" he declared.

"Or maybe I'll just go back to California right now" she responded as he shrugged, not caring about what she did. "Forget our daughter and everything and then when she's older and doesn't know me at all it'll be completely your fault Richard" she declared before walking out of the apartment. "So you don't want me in her life?" she asked.

"Of course I want you in her life, you're her mother but you need to call me beforehand Meredith because we have lives too. The whole world doesn't revolve around you Meredith especially not now" he explained before shutting the door and turning to see Kate, Alexis and Martha staring at him from different places in the apartment. "Right, who wants to help me make our birthday girls breakfast?" he asked as Alexis immediately ran over and jumped into her father's arm while Kate and Martha laughed.

"Happy birthday Kate" the older redhead smiled as she walked over and gently kissed Kate's cheek.

"Thank you Martha".

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXOO

"Happy birthday girl" Lanie smiled in excitement as she entered the apartment and wrapped her arms around the brunette who was already beaming about the crowd of people around her. Her father was laughing beside Martha and Alexis while Rick had disappeared from sight. "How's the birthday been so far?" the student asked as she stared at her friend who was already biting into her lip.

"I woke up stupidly early to find Rick and Alexis blowing balloons up" she admitted as Lanie smiled. "Rick and I then had some alone time".

"Which of course means you two were celebrating grown up style" Lanie smirked as Kate rolled her eyes before nodding and laughing. "So what happened after that?"

"Rick gave me my first present which was a document showing that he'd set up a scholarship in my mom's name" she admitted as Lanie nodded slowly. "Then we went to my mother's grave and watched the sunrise before we came back to find Meredith in the apartment planning to take Alexis away for a week".

"That woman has no sense of timing by the sound of it, she really does need to learn how to use a phone" Lanie commented as Kate nodded and sighed before she turned to see her father watching her with a small smile covering his face. "But she did leave?" Lanie asked.

"Of course she left, otherwise she'd still be here attempting to take Alexis away from us" Kate laughed before relaxing and watching as her father walked over. "Dad this is Lanie Parish, a friend of mine and a medical student. Lanie this is my father Jim Beckett" Kate introduced as Lanie smiled at the older man who nodded at her. Hearing movement, Kate watched as the writer walked towards her with a large grin before wrapping an arm around her hips.

"Present time everyone" Rick smiled as Kate nodded and allowed him to lead her towards the couch. Sitting down, Kate smiled as Alexis immediately sat down in the space beside her.

"My present first because it seems to be the smallest" Lanie laughed as Kate nodded and took the present from her friend. Removing the paper, Kate smiled as she stared down at the scarf that was now in her hands. "I hope you like it" Lanie admitted.

"It's beautiful, thank you" Kate smiled before she wrapped the material around her neck and relaxed. Taking the present off Martha, Kate smiled as she unwrapped the paper to find a collection of classic movies that were Kate's favourites. "Oh wow, thanks Martha" the brunette declared as the redhead shrugged.

"Mine next, mine" Alexis cheered as Kate nodded and watched as the redhead passed her the next present. Opening the box, Kate smiled as she removed the collection of books out from the box. "Do you like them Katie?" the redhead asked as Kate nodded and took in each of the novels.

"Of course I like them sweetheart, thank you" the brunette whispered before she hugged the redhead and stared at the collection of Rick's older novels that were resting on her lap. "Right I guess I have two more presents left to open" Kate admitted as she looked from Rick to her father. Watching the writer move, Kate smiled as the writer brought a box over to her and rested it on her lap before the brunette slowly removed the lid and stared at the shoes that were inside. "Rick these are gorgeous, thank you but why have you bought me shoes?"

"Because they go with my present" Jim declared as he grabbed the last box and moved it towards his daughter. Staring at the label on it, Kate sighed as she saw her mother's handwriting. "Your mom bought it before she died, she saw it in the shop and couldn't stop thinking about buying it for you but she wanted a reason to give it to you" he admitted as tears filled Kate's eyes.

"You okay?" Rick asked before Kate nodded slowly and removed the lid from the box.

"Oh wow" Kate muttered as she lifted the black dress out of the box before standing and holding it against her figure. "It's beautiful, thank you daddy".

"I just wanted to get you books for your birthday like always but it was your mom who bought it" he admitted as Kate nodded slowly and folded the dress back into the box. "I showed it to Rick when he mentioned the scholarship and we were thinking that maybe you could…" Jim began before falling silent.

"Your father and I were thinking that maybe you'd like to wear it to the fund raiser Kate" Rick explained as Kate nodded and smiled.

"Of course I'm going to wear it to the fund raiser, it's absolutely beautiful" Kate admitted, her eyes remaining focused on the material before she smiled and laughed. Sitting down beside Rick again, Kate smiled as his arm snuck around her for a moment. "Thank you" Kate whispered before pressing a kiss to his cheek as everyone watched them.

"I'm going to get drinks for everyone" Jim declared as Martha nodded and followed the man into the kitchen while Kate continued to rest against the writer. Watching the lights darken, Kate smiled as the lights of candles began to approach her as everyone began to sing happy birthday while she clung onto Rick's hand.

"Make a wish Katie" Rick whispered in her ear as the cake was placed on the coffee table. Leaning forward, the brunette shut her eyes for a moment before blowing the candles out. Hearing cheering, Kate laughed as she turned to look at the writer who was beaming at her before she moved to rest against him again. "Did you make a wish?" he asked.

"Yes" she smiled.

"Are you going to tell me?" he questioned; her head shaking as she looked up at him in amusement.

"Not in your wildest dreams Richard, not in your wildest dreams" she admitted as the writer laughed and kissed her gently, not caring who saw them anymore.

"Oh wait before we all eat cake, I have to give Kate something before I forget" the writer smiled as everyone fell silent. Standing quickly, the writer disappeared for a moment before returning with another envelope. "This is for you Kate" he smiled, knowing exactly what the letter was about and hoping that it was good news for her. Taking the envelope from him, Kate stared at the stamp that was printed on the envelope; everybody laughing as she practically ripped the envelope away before she read the piece of paper. "And?" the writer asked.

"They accepted me" she squealed. "They accepted me Rick" she laughed, tears running down her cheeks as she wrapped her arms around the writers neck as he lifted her into the air slightly while everyone clapped.


	56. Chapter 56

"Hey" Kate whispered as she stood in the doorway and watched the writer work for a moment before he looked up at smiled at her. She looked beautiful. Dressed in one of his shirts that covered her to mid-thigh with her dark hair tied over one shoulder while her face was make up free. "Can we talk?" she asked, the writer nodding as he pushed his chair away from his desk and patted his thighs as a smiled covered her face. Walking over to him slowly, Kate sighed as she moved to sit on his lap and began to play with his shirt sleeve.

"So what do you want to talk about?" he asked as she stared up at him before her lips found his. Kissing her, Rick smiled as he slowly began to move away from her. "Katie is everything okay?" he whispered, finding her hand quickly to entwine his fingers with hers. "You can talk to me about anything, you know that…"he began.

"I have to go away for three months" she blurted out before the room fell silent. Looking up, Kate bit into the lip as she saw the confusion that was covering Rick's face. "Not now Rick but at the end of next month" she explained as he nodded slowly. "It's for the training, it's nine to twelve weeks and I wanted to tell you now when I found out because I don't want to keep secrets from you" Kate admitted before kissing him gently, her fingers running to his cheek as the writer remained silent, trying to understand what was going on. "Please don't hate me Rick, please" she begged.

"I don't hate you Katie, I could never hate you Kate" he whispered as he gently pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Three months though, we can barely cope two weeks without each other. The last time I went away, you came to visit me for a weekend" he declared as Kate nodded and laughed before cuddling into his side. "I can't imagine three months without seeing you Kate; I spend every day with you practically".

"I know but we'll manage somehow" she muttered gently before kissing his cheek again. "We always do Rick". Hearing a knock at the door before either of them could speak again, the two of them turned to see Alexis standing in the doorway in her pyjamas, holding onto the book that she'd chosen. "Hey little one" Kate smiled, watching as the redhead beamed at her while remaining perfectly still. Moving off the chair, the brunette slowly moved towards the couch with the writer as Alexis watched them sit down with Rick's arms curled tightly around her. "Come on Miss Alexis, we have a book to read" Kate declared.

"Yes" Alexis smiled, walking over quickly before taking a seat on her father's lap as Kate smiled at them.

"What are we reading tonight pumpkin?" Rick asked as he watched his daughter hold the book up so he could see. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Good choice pumpkin, every little girl and boys dream" he smiled as Alexis beamed in excitement.

"Also it's one of your daddy's dreams too Alexis" Kate whispered to the redhead who nodded and quickly laughed at her comment. "So who do you want to read to you tonight sweetheart because we're going to take it in turns with this book?" the brunette explained as the redhead began to think for a moment while both adults watched her.

"Katie, you read tonight. Daddy can read tomorrow" Alexis stated as the brunette nodded and took the book from her carefully.

"Okay, chapter one, here comes Charlie" Kate smiled as she stared at the book and watched Alexis for a moment. "These two very old people are the father and mother of Mr Bucket. Their names are Grandpa Jo and Grandma Josephine" the brunette read as Alexis smiled and cuddled into her father, listening as Kate continued to read the story. Finishing the first two chapters, Kate smiled as she slowly shut the book and stared at the two Castle's for a moment. "Lex, can we talk about something really quickly before you go to bed?" Kate asked as the redhead nodded quickly.

"What's wrong Katie?" Alexis asked.

"Sweetie, you know how I want to be a cop so much" the brunette commented as Alexis nodded while Rick remained silent and listened. "And to become a cop I have to go and do some special training and that means I have to go away for a while" she explained as the smile disappeared from Alexis' face. "But I promise sweetheart, I'll call every time I can and I promise I'll be there to read to you down the phone" she admitted as the redhead nodded slowly, still not smiling. "Want a hug?" Kate asked.

"Yes" Alexis whispered before crawling off her father's lap and onto Kate's where the brunette tightly wrapped her arms around her. Pressing kisses into Alexis' hair, the brunette sighed as she fell silent for a moment, not wanting to let the little girl go for a moment. "Katie, I need to go to bed now" the redhead laughed as Kate nodded and quickly pressed another kiss into her hair.

"Go to bed little one" Kate whispered, watching as the redhead climbed off her lap and moved to allow the writer to press a kiss to her forehead. Moving closer to the writer, the brunette sighed as Rick's arms tightened around her when Alexis slipped out of the room. "Three months without you two to cuddle with every night. I don't know how I'm going to cope without you" Kate admitted as the writer leant forward and quickly pressed a kiss to the back of her head before sighing.

"You'll cope because you have too" he whispered before his arms tightened around her body. "We have a month before you go?" he asked as her head nodded slowly as she turned to face him, her body straddling his as his hands met behind her back. Leaning towards her, the writer smiled as his lips founds her quickly before he sighed against the warmth of her lips. "Let's go away. You, me and Alexis for a couple of weeks before you have to go" he admitted as a smile began to cover her face.

"You really want to go away?" she asked.

"Of course I do. Just the three of us for a couple of weeks in the Hamptons" he smiled as she nodded and quickly kissed him. "Get some well-deserved family time in before you leave us for three months Katherine" he declared as she nodded quickly before standing and holding her hand out to him.

"How was the writing going until I disturbed you with my bad news?" she asked as the writer smiled and stood up, his arms wrapping around her as she stared at him.

"It was good but I'm finished for the night and right now I want to go into my room, remove the minimal amount of clothes my girlfriend is wearing and make sweet sweet love to her until the early hours of the morning" he admitted as she rolled her eyes and felt his hands move further down her back.

"Is that all you think about Rick?" she commented.

"Of course not, I think about other things too" he smiled before lifting her into his arms as she squealed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Pulling the robe over her body, Kate smiled as she stared at the writer who was fast asleep in bed; her teeth catching her bottom lip before she slipped out of the bedroom and towards the stairs. Climbing upstairs, Kate slowly walked towards Alexis' room before she gently pushed the door open to see the redhead sat up sobbing in the middle of the bed.

"Hey sweetheart, what's wrong?" Kate asked as she entered the room as Alexis turned to look at her. Walking towards the bed, the brunette sighed as she sat down and felt the redhead move closer to her before Kate wrapped her arms around her. "So do you want to tell me what's wrong?" the brunette asked as she held the little girl close to her.

"I don't want you to go Katie" Alexis admitted as the brunette sighed and shut her eyes for a moment. Moving, Kate sighed as she lay down on the bed and watched as Alexis crawled over and lay down beside her before they stared at each other. "You will come back Katie, won't you?" the redhead whispered as the brunette smiled and nodded before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Alexis' forehead.

"I promise Alexis that the moment I can come home, I will be here giving you the biggest hug available because I'm going to miss you so much baby" Kate smiled as tears filled her own eyes. She didn't want to leave Alexis and Rick! She wanted to stay with them but she also wanted to become a cop and that meant training which meant nine to twelve weeks of training! "Do you want me to stay here sweetheart tonight?" Kate asked as Alexis nodded and watched as Kate pulled the blanket over them both. "You know I love you Alexis".

"I love you too Katie" the redhead admitted as she buried her head against Kate's chest and attempted to relax. "I wish you were my mommy Katie" Alexis blurted out as shock covered Kate's face.

**Disclaimer: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory belongs to Roald Dahl and I still love it as a teenager who is going to be learning to drive in a month! So I decided that Alexis was going to love it and Rick of course would love a novel about a chocolate factory and all the crazy ideas Willy Wonka comes up with! **

**Also I know this chapter is very short but I promise the next chapter will be up ASAP and it will be pretty long. This chapter is basically a filler chapter really. **

**Thank you for your amazing reviews to the last chapter and I hope you continue to express your opinions through your reviews and private messages that I love to read after I've updated. So please review and I will see you soon with the next chapter!**


	57. Chapter 57

Staring at the house, Kate felt her smile grow as she remembered all the things that had happened the last time she'd come to Rick's home in the Hamptons. The two of them cuddling in the sand, the writer writing that he loved her in the sand, their failed attempt to be intimate which had brought them closer. Turning to look at the writer, Kate smiled as she leant across and gently pressed a kiss to his lips before they both turned to see Alexis fast asleep in the back of the car.

"What do we do? Do we wake her?" Kate asked gently before smiling at the writer who was just beaming at his sleeping daughter. "She looks so peaceful" the brunette muttered as the writer nodded before climbing out of the car and opening the car door in the back. Watching Rick slip into the car beside Alexis, Kate smiled as the write leant down and pressed a kiss to his daughter's cheek.

"Pumpkin we're here" Rick whispered as Alexis yawned and looked up at her father before looking across at Kate who waved at her gently. "Come on sleepy, we can't spend the whole holiday in the car" he declared, leaning across to let her out as she continued to yawn. "Am I going to carry you or are you going to walk?" he asked.

"Walk, I'm a big girl now daddy" Alexis whispered before slipping out of the car and approaching Kate who'd also left the vehicle. Staring at the redhead, Kate watched as Alexis cuddled into her side and shut her eyes again for a moment as Rick locked the car and stared at them for a moment, enjoying how perfect Kate was with Alexis. He adored watching the interaction between Kate and Alexis because it highlighted how Kate was filling in that gap that Meredith had created. "Katie, we're in the Hamptons" the redhead declared.

"Yeah baby we are for two weeks" Kate smiled before taking Alexis' hand and leading her towards the house with the writer. "Two whole weeks of sun, sea and sand" she stated as Rick's arm slowly moved around her hips. Unlocking the door, Rick smiled as he gently nudged Kate into the building while Alexis followed her silently, still attempting to wake up after sleeping the whole journey. "It seems like forever since we were last here" she admitted as he nodded and watched as Alexis disappeared towards the living room.

"She's exhausted" Rick laughed as Kate nodded, enjoying the feeling of his arms tightly wrapping around her waist. "She'll be wide awake later tonight" he admitted.

"It's the holidays though; she doesn't need to stick to a schedule does she?" Kate asked as the writer shook his head before pressing a kiss into her hair and turning her in his arms. "What's going on Mr Castle?" the brunette smiled, falling silent when he quickly pressed a kiss to her lips before relaxing. "What was that for?" she asked gently.

"For the fact that you're disappearing from my life for three whole months Miss Beckett, I need to get all the kisses in while we have the time together" he admitted before kissing her again as she relaxed in his arms and sighed. "We better go and see whether Alexis is awake" Rick smiled as Kate nodded and quickly let Rick lead her towards the living room. Entering the room, Kate relaxed at the sight of the redhead curled up on couch fast asleep. "Maybe I should take her upstairs".

"That would be a good idea" Kate admitted, watching as Rick walked over and lifted his daughter into his arms before disappearing. Approaching the door, Kate smiled as she slipped outside and felt her shoes sink into the sand, a laugh leaving her lips as she leant down and removed them before walking across the warm sand. She'd forgotten how perfect it was in the Hamptons the first time they'd come and now Alexis was with them, it was going to be even better! Hearing the door squeak again, the brunette smiled as she turned to see the writer walking towards her. "Thank you for bringing me here".

"Well we needed a family holiday and you just brought it around quicker than normal" he explained before kissing her gently, his arms tightening around her as she sighed. "Want to go for a swim?" he asked, looking across at the water as she nodded and slowly moved her hand towards the bottom of her t-shirt. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"I was clever and wore my bikini under my clothes, unlike you Richard" she giggled before throwing her t-shirt off and smiling at him as she began to remove the skirt she was also wearing.

"Can I just sit and watch you undress Kate? It's so much better than me undressing" he asked, her eyes rolling before she ran down the beach and into the water before turning to look at him.

"Coming to join me Rick?" she called over as he laughed, shocked by how beautiful she looked in the water. This was the Kate he remembered from the start of their relationship. Relaxed, fun loving, care free and although she was beginning to recover from that he knew she was still burdened by her mother's death. Removing his clothes except for the shorts he was wearing, the writer smiled as he ran over and quickly wrapped his arms around her body. "I love you Richard Castle, I love you so much" she whispered, staring at him in amazement as her hands ran to his cheeks before she gently kissed him again.

"I was looking into something recently, mother told me about them" he admitted as Kate nodded and stared at him, enjoying the warmth of the water around her while his arms fasted around her hips.

"Yes" Kate whispered.

"I want to get promise rings Kate" he declared, shocking her slightly before she nodded. "I want to show to everyone that we're serious about each other Katie, especially before you go away and are surrounded by hundreds of men who are going to find you extremely sexy" he smiled, her head nodding again before she kissed him.

"Yes" she mumbled again, locking eyes with him before they both smiled. "I love the idea even if it is scary that you thought of it" she laughed as she moved her hands to find his. "It's a slightly feminine idea" she added as his eyebrows rose while his fingers began to tickle her sides. "Stop it" she moaned, trying to get out of his arms as he continued to attack her.

"Daddy" a voice called out, forcing the writer away to see that his daughter was stood on the beach.

"Hey pumpkin" Rick declared, running over to his daughter and lifting her into his arms as Kate slowly approached them. "Did you have a nice sleep sleepy head?" he asked as Alexis nodded and smiled at the brunette who'd now joined them. "Lex we're going to go shopping for a while, is that okay?" he asked as the redhead nodded and began to move in her father's arms until he put her down.

"What are we buying when we go shopping daddy?" Alexis asked as she moved towards the brunette and hugged her as Kate slowly began to run her fingers through the six year olds red hair while she looked down at her.

"We've got to go and get something called a promise ring for Katie and I but after that, I thought we could go and get some ice cream" he declared, watching his daughter's smile grow before she nodded.

"What's a promise ring Katie?" Alexis asked as she followed the two adults into the house.

"It's a ring which shows a promise someone has made to someone else" Kate admitted as Alexis nodded slowly and disappeared to go and change into something else because her clothes were now soaked from hugging the brunette. "I should go and change into something less revealing Rick, I don't want you to get jealous of the hundreds of men who are going to be lusting over me in the Hamptons" she teased before kissing him, his arms wrapping around her tightly as she stared at him in amazement.

"You need to stop being so sexy Katie, it makes me nervous" he declared as her eyes rolled before she moved out of his arms and approached the stairs. Turning to look at him, she smiled as she quickly held her arm out towards him.

"Come on Mr Castle, if you hurry you can watch me change" she teased before running up the stairs as the writer followed her with the largest smile covering her face.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOO

"You go one way, I go the other and we meet in two hours back at the car to go and get ice cream?" Kate suggested as she stood at the car with the writer who smiled before nodding and gently kissing her as Alexis rolled her eyes. "Lex who are you going with this afternoon?" she asked.

"I need her actually for something this afternoon" Rick admitted before Kate nodded and leant down to press a kiss to Alexis' forehead. Waving as Kate walked off into the distance, the writer sighed as he looked down to see Alexis staring in the direction that Kate had disappeared in. "Right pumpkin, let's go promise ring shopping" he announced as Alexis nodded and took hold of his hand and followed him down the street. Entering the first jewellery shop, the writer sighed as he looked down at his daughter before lifting her into his arms so she could see the jewellery as well.

"Can I help you?" the woman behind the counter asked as Rick smiled.

"I'm just looking at rings" he explained as the woman nodded. "I need something reasonably simple, she doesn't like over decorative things and she's about to do serious training so it can't be anything that would get in the way" he admitted as the dark haired woman smiled before moving towards a collection of rings. Staring down at the set, the writer sighed as he looked at Alexis who was already pulling a disapproved face. "What do you think pumpkin?" he asked.

"No" Alexis stated. "Katie won't like any of them daddy".

"I'm sure we have more that you can look at sir if you would like too" the woman declared as Rick shook his head, knowing his daughter was right.

"That won't be needed, thank you for showing us your selection though" the writer smiled as the woman nodded and watched as Rick and Kate walked out of the small shop. "Right, we better go and try somewhere else pumpkin" the writer sighed as they slowly walked down the street together.

**Twelve shops later…. **

"Daddy" Alexis called out as she stood outside the window of a small shop as the writer walked over to her slowly and looked into the window. "Daddy that one, it's perfect for Katie" the redhead smiled, pointing at a ring that was at the front of the display as a small smile began to cover Rick's face.

"Do you think so pumpkin?" he asked, knowing inside that Alexis was right.

"She'll love it daddy, I promise" the redhead admitted as Rick nodded and followed her into the old building, knowing he wasn't going to find anything better and that Alexis was right with the idea that it was perfect.

XOOXOOXOXOXXOXO

Feeling the ring in his pocket, Rick smiled as he walked towards the car to see Kate standing against it with a large smile covering her face. Running over, Alexis laughed as Kate wrapped her arms tightly around her before pressing kisses to her face in amusement. Looking up, the brunette sighed as she watched the writer for a moment before standing and wrapping her arms around his neck as Alexis shook her head and turned away.

"We've only been separated for two hours Katherine and you've missed me like crazy" the writer declared as her eyes rolled before kissed him gently and sighed. "I love you Miss Beckett" he commented as she smiled and turned to see Alexis looking away from them.

"Maybe we should save this for when we're alone" she declared, nudging her head in the direction of the redhead as the writer slowly nodded and moved away before resting his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "I think we discussed getting ice cream earlier and I really want some right now" the brunette commented as Alexis nodded and smiled up at her before taking hold of Kate's hand. "What flavour do you want today sweetheart? I want chocolate, I haven't had ice cream in a long time and chocolate sounds amazing" Kate asked as the two women followed Rick down the street.

"Chocolate too Katie, I love chocolate ice cream" Alexis cheered in excitement before entering the shop and smiling as Rick went to collect their choices. "Did you find a ring for daddy Katie because we found one for you?" the redhead asked as she sat down beside the brunette who quickly nodded and took the ring out of her pocket where she'd hidden it.

"What do you think sweetheart?" Kate whispered, watching as Alexis nodded quickly in approval. "Do you think he'll like it Alexis?" the brunette asked as the redhead nodded again before Alexis slid the ring into her pocket as Rick walked over to join them.

"What were you two talking about?" he asked.

"Rings daddy, we were talking about rings" Alexis stated as Rick nodded and smiled as Alexis took her ice cream from him and relaxed. "What are we doing tomorrow daddy?" the redhead asked as Rick shrugged and stared at the women who were sat opposite from him in silence while eating the ice cream of their choice.

"Alexis honey, the idea of a holiday is not to have plans. You go to bed when you want, although before eleven would be good" he joked as Kate rolled her eyes. "You wake up when you want and you just do what you feel like" he smiled.

"Does that mean I can jump on the bed like you and Katie do?" Alexis asked with a large grin covering her face.

"Well maybe not exactly like what we do Alexis but I'm sure you can jump on the bed if you really want too" Rick smiled as Kate glared at him before she rolled her eyes and relaxed back in her seat. "But only when you're on holiday Lex because it's naughty when we're at home and gram would ground us both if she caught us" he added as Kate laughed and looked down at Alexis who was cuddled into her side.

XOXOOXXOXOXO

Entering the main bedroom of the house, the writer smiled as he saw the brunette standing by the doorway to the balcony with a small smile covering her face. Moving towards her, Rick allowed his arms to wrap around her hips before Kate began to kiss him gently while her fingers ran through his hair. Locking eyes with him, the brunette sighed as she entwined her fingers with his before leading him towards the balcony. Pushing the doors open, the brunette relaxed as she stepped out onto the balcony where she'd already placed lit candles.

"This is beautiful Kate" he whispered, her body shrugging at him before she relaxed and sat down on the floor before the writer joined her. "Alexis was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow tonight, it's been a busy day for her and she was so excited when we went ring shopping. She knew exactly what you'd like" he explained as Kate nodded and quickly leant across to kiss him. "So are we going to do this Kate?" he asked as she nodded slowly before they both removed the rings from their pockets and held them in their hands before looking at each other. "Do you want to go first or should I?" he asked.

"You can go first Rick, you're better with words than me and I don't how to say what I want to say right now" Kate smiled, relaxing back against the railing of the balcony while the writer stared down at the ring in his fingers, watching her for a moment before she sighed.

"Well Kate, I love you. I think everyone in the world knows how much you mean to me and my whole family. We love the way you make everything seem better and how you can make Alexis feel comfortable in every situation" he explained as he reached across for her hand and squeezed it. "I guess I'm promising to love you even when you're not here with me Kate" he admitted as he stared down at their hands. "I promise that I'll be one hundred and ten per cent committed to this relationship whether you're here or not and nothing is going to become between us and that included Gina Cowell" he laughed as Kate nodded and leant across to kiss him gently, not knowing what to say as she felt him slip the ring onto her finger. Looking down, the brunette stared at the silver ring that was now decorating her middle finger.

"Rick it's beautiful, thank you" she smiled, kissing him quickly before she looked down at the ring before holding her hand up. "I love it".

"Good because Alexis helped me find it, we were determined that we weren't going to buy you anything that was too decorative because you need something that you can wear when training and think of us" the writer admitted as Kate nodded and laughed, surprised by how excited she was by a ring.

"I guess it's my turn then Rick" Kate smiled as he nodded and stared at her. "Rick, I love you too, you strange childish man" she laughed as he shrugged in amusement. "You've created this family unit around me when I've need it the most and you've supported me through some of the worst experiences in my life" she declared as the writer nodded and clung onto her hand. "I love the way you make me laugh and I promise that no matter where I am or what I'm doing I'm going to love you and Alexis just like I do now" the brunette explained, thinking about the little girl who'd taken over her life and the man who had also filled that space in her life. "You're my first love Richard Castle. You're my first in a lot of things and nothing is going to stop this relationship, no stupid women or men who think they can destroy us" she explained before sighing. "I guess I'm promising you forever Rick".

"Forever, I like that" he smiled as he felt her slip the ring onto his finger, surprised by how different it felt to when Meredith had slipped the ring onto her finger when they got married. This felt real! Meredith had felt like an act. She'd quoted the words perfectly and had slipped the ring on with ease but this was different. This felt real! Kate's hand was shaking while she slipped the ring onto her finger and she'd been thinking about everything she'd said rather than quoting from a book. "Thank you" he whispered as he gently dragged her over so she was sat on his lap. "What's your dad going to say when he sees this Katie?" he asked as he stared at the ring that was decorating her finger.

"I think he'll like it actually Rick" she smiled. "He'll like that we're committed to each other and that this shows that we're serious about each other without getting married because that will really scare him" the brunette declared as the writer nodded and stared at their rings in amazement. "I kind of feel married Rick" she admitted.

"Do you like that feeling Katie?" he asked.

"I do Rick" she whispered before kissing him gently and smiling while her hand remained against his cheek. "I really do like it, makes me feel special".

"Well you are special Kate, you're really special to me".

**So my amazing friend Laura gave me the idea of promise rings and helped with the chapter so it seems right to dedicate this chapter to Laura! **

**I hope you like this chapter, it feels unbelievably sweet and loved up and I guess we kind of need that before they're separated due to training! **

**Thank you for our amazing reviews, they mean so much to me and I can't wait to see what you think about this chapter! It's a chapter that I'm not too sure about because it seems so loved up and just sweet! **

**Final note from me, if there are any ideas that you'd like to see do tell me and I'll try and fit it in! I've already been approached about involving Royce in the story so please give me ideas because I love everything you guys come up with as well and this story is about pleasing you because you're amazing readers and I want to make you happy because writing makes me extremely happy!**


	58. Chapter 58

**This is basically another sweet chapter which is rather short and is just a filler. Alexis, Rick and Kate have been in the Hamptons for about a week and I loved this idea so I thought I'd write it up so this is a major Kate/Alexis chapter. **

**I promise if this chapter gets a good response I can another chapter up tonight or early tomorrow and it will be longer! Thank you for your amazing response to the last chapter as well, your comments are so lovely to read.**

"I told you that you should have put more sun cream on Rick" Kate complained as she stared at the writer's bright red back while they sat on the bed. "You're not going to be able to sleep on your back Rick, it's going to be agony and you're going to hate wearing clothes over it" she explained as she placed some cream onto her fingers and gently began to massage it into his back as he winced in pain. "Why couldn't you just put more cream on your back you stupid man when I told you too?" the brunette asked as Rick rolled his eyes before groaning in pain. "Don't even think that I'm going to feel sorry for you about this Richard" she announced, moving off the bed as the writer watched her with a frown covering his face.

"Katie my back really hurts, will you make it better for me?" the writer moaned as the brunette smiled and shook her head and moved towards the window to see the sun setting. It was the end of their first week at the Hamptons and it had gone too fast for any one's liking. They'd spent most of the time on the beach playing with Alexis or watching while the redhead played in the sea and laughed when Kate had helped her bury Rick in the sand while he was asleep.

"This week is going too fast Rick, I don't want it to end" Kate moaned as the writer nodded and watched as she pulled her t-shirt off and moved to find one of his old shirts while Rick smirked at the sight of her almost bare chest. He loved her figure! She was beautiful and he adored watching her! "Rick, is it bad that I'm nervous about going into the Academy?" the brunette asked, worry covering his face as she began to undo her jeans and slipped them off before approaching the bed. "I know it's what I really want to do with my life but I'm scared that I'm going to do something wrong" she whispered, watching as he entwined his fingers with hers.

"Kate, you'll be amazing at whatever you do, you just need to believe that you can do it" Rick smiled before leaning across and kissing her gently. "Also, no matter what happens you have people around you who love you and are going to support you no matter what" he explained before kissing her gently and watching as she nodded and stared at his back again. "Stop looking at it and it might go away" he commented as her eyes rolled at his comment.

"That's not going to go away for a long time Richard" she admitted, staring at how red his back was. "I'm going to go and make sure Alexis is in bed while you attempt to get comfy with your back like that" she explained before standing and walking out of the room. Walking down the corridor, the brunette sighed as she gently knocked on Alexis' bedroom door before opening it to see the redhead lying in bed half asleep. "Hey little one" Kate whispered gently as Alexis smiled and waved at her. Walking over to the bed, Kate quickly knelt down beside the bed and locked eyes with Alexis for a moment before leaning forward and gently pressing a kiss to Alexis' forehead. "If you hear someone walking around tonight honey it's probably your daddy so you don't need to worry" the brunette explained as confusion covered the six year olds face.

"Why Katie?" Alexis asked.

"The burn on his back is really bad and he's in a lot of pain so he probably won't be able to sleep very well" Kate whispered as the redhead nodded and relaxed, her eyes shutting quickly as Kate smiled and played with her hair for a moment. "Goodnight Lex, I'll see you in the morning" the brunette whispered as Alexis nodded with her eyes shut before Kate left the room and re-entered the main bedroom to find the writer lying on his stomach in the middle of the bed. "You're going to have to move a bit because I've got to fit in that bed too" she laughed.

"My back is going to kill me Kate" the writer moaned.

"Well next time you know better than to ignore my advice" she explained as she slipped into the small space beside him and found him staring at her. "I'm not going to feel sorry for you Rick, you should have listened to me" she smiled before leaning forward and pressing a kiss into his hair. Hearing the rain get worse outside, the brunette sighed as she turned to look out of the window to see that the rain was increasing before the sound of thunder echoed through the house.

"Yes thunder and lightning night" Rick declared before groaning in pain when he moved to look out of the window. "I give her five minutes" he stated, confusion covering her face as she looked at the thunder and lightning for a moment before looking across at her boyfriend. "Alexis hates it, actually it terrifies her. I'm sure it has something to do with when she was a baby and I guess I could blame Meredith if I really wanted too" he explained as Kate nodded slowly and relaxed back, waiting for the redhead.

XOXOOXXOXOXO

Kate Beckett was shocked. Not only had Rick managed to fall asleep during the thunder storm that was still louder than anything she'd heard before but he'd managed to get himself in a position that was comfortable for him and had left her hardly any space on the bed. The writer had been wrong with guessing that Alexis would enter the room five minutes after the storm started as she was yet to appear and that had Kate worried. If Alexis hated it so much why hadn't she come into their room? Standing quickly, the brunette sighed as she grabbed a nearby robe and pulled it over her body before sneaking out of the room and down the corridor where the faint sounds of sobbing made her walk slightly faster.

"Lex?" the brunette whispered as she knocked on the door before slowly entering to see that the redhead wasn't in her bed but instead that her blanket was sticking out from underneath it and also all the lights were on in the room. "Alexis what are you doing?" Kate smiled, moving to sit on the floor beside the bed before she lay down and stared across at the redhead who was clearly hidden underneath her duvet. "Hey sweetheart" she whispered, reaching across to remove the blanket from over the small girl.

"Katie?" the redhead asked before sliding towards the older woman. "I don't like thunder and lightning Katie" she admitted as Kate nodded and stared at her for a moment.

"Why didn't you come into our room sweetheart when it started?" Kate asked, falling silent when Alexis bit into her lip and looked down. "Alexis, you can tell me anything, you know that".

"Because daddy wasn't going to sleep because of his back and then the storm started and I didn't want to make any more noise" the redhead admitted as Kate smiled and moved to allow Alexis out from under the bed. Hearing a click, the brunette groaned as the lights went off and the redhead's arms quickly wrapped around her. "Katie, make the storm stop" Alexis announced.

"I don't think I can do that sweetheart but why don't we go upstairs and cuddle in the big bed?" she asked as the redhead nodded and began to reach around for something. "What are you looking for sweetheart?" the brunette asked as she heard things being knocked over as Alexis searched for whatever she needed.

"My lion, he doesn't like thunder storms either Katie and he wants a cuddle too" the redhead declared, making Kate smile before she heard Alexis squeal. "Found him" she cheered before standing up with the brunette and clinging onto her hand. Leading the small girl into the upstairs bedroom, the brunette sighed as she found herself entering more darkness and Alexis' grip of her hand becoming tighter as the lightning flashed and lit the room for a brief moment. "Katie I don't like storms".

"I know you don't sweetheart but they can't hurt you and actually when you watch them, they can be really beautiful" the teenager explained as she led the redhead towards the bed and relaxed when she reached out and felt it beneath her hands. "Right, where does your daddy keep candles?" she asked.

"Top drawer of the bedside table, he has matches in there too" Alexis smiled, confusing Kate for a moment at the idea of why the writer would keep candles in there. Reaching into the drawer, the brunette smiled as she felt the candles underneath her hands before she took them out and lit one quickly with the matches, lighting the room slightly before she began to light the other candles. "I like candles".

"Now candles are dangerous so we have to be careful with them okay because I don't think your dad would be impressed if we burnt the house down" Kate smiled as the redhead nodded and sat up at the edge of the bed. Placing the candles on the surfaces away from the bed, Kate slowly began to relax as the room filled with sources of light. "Now Miss Alexis into bed because it's late" Kate announced as Alexis nodded and slipped under the duvet before Kate joined her. Wrapping her arms around the six year old, Kate relaxed as she felt Alexis' shaking begin to stop. "So what's your lion called?"

"Rory" Alexis stated as Kate laughed gently and nodded before looking down at the toy lion Alexis was clutching onto.

"Hello Rory, I'm Katie" the brunette smiled as she attempted to cheer the small girl up. "I know you're scared of thunder storms so I thought a kiss might make you feel better" she declared before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the toy as Alexis smiled. "And now I think I'm going to kiss Alexis all better" she laughed as Alexis giggled when Kate placed a kiss to Alexis' forehead. "Feel better?"

"Yes Katie" the redhead smiled. "Rory feels better too".

"Do you want to know a secret?" Kate whispered, laughing when Alexis nodded and stared at her. "I used to be scared of thunder storms too" she admitted.

"Really?" Alexis asked in shock. "But you're not scared anymore Katie" the redhead whispered.

"Nope" she smiled. "Because when I was scared I would cuddle up with my parents and fall asleep and when I woke up the storms would be all over and I soon realised that the thunder couldn't hurt me" she whispered, pressing another kiss into Alexis' hair as the redhead moved closer to Kate. "Are you going to try and sleep now?"

"Yes Katie" Alexis whispered, shutting her eyes quickly as Kate began to hum a song her mother used to sing her when she was scared. Feeling the redhead relax in her arms, the brunette sighed as she looked down at the sleeping girl and felt her smile grow.

"I love you silly girl, I do love you" Kate admitted before shutting her eyes, knowing that she needed to sleep too.

**So what do you think?**


	59. Chapter 59

"No Lanie, we're not having wild and kinky sex on every surface in the house" Kate laughed as she sat on the bed with the phone pressed against her ear, her laughter filling the room as she took in her friend's comment. She loved Lanie. The medical student reminded her of all the fun in the world and she already knew that she could trust the woman with anything unlike Madison who had betrayed Kate's secrets to everyone.

"Why not Kate? You're about to be parted for three whole months, you should be desperately trying to stock up on that brilliant feeling of sexual highs" Lanie wined as Kate smiled while her head shook.

"Because his six year old daughter is with us in the house and also we still have some self-control left in us even if you don't believe it" the brunette declared as Lanie just laughed before nodding, knowing that she was fighting a losing battle.

"So what are you doing today Kate? Anything special?" the medical student asked, knowing that she wasn't going to gain anything more information on Kate's sex life.

"We're just having a picnic today and spending some more time on the beach because we all love it, although Rick is terrified of getting another really bad sunburn" the brunette shrugged, knowing that the two Castle's were currently preparing the picnic downstairs.

"Has he got really bad sunburn already then?" Lanie asked.

"His whole back is bright red at the moment, he can barely move properly but he's getting better at not complaining" the brunette stated as Lanie moaned, thinking about the pain that the writer must have been in. Hearing a knock at the door, the brunette sighed as she looked across to see it slowly opening before Alexis' head popped around the corner with a large smile covering her face. "Look Lanie I've got to go, I do believe our picnic is ready" Kate smiled as the redhead nodded and walked over before crawling across the bed and cuddling up to the older woman.

"I'll talk to you later Kate but remember to get some hot sex in before you come home, otherwise it'll have been a wasted trip" Lanie smiled as Kate rolled her eyes for a moment, not knowing how to respond to her friend's comment. Saying goodbye, the brunette relaxed as she put the phone down and looked at the little girl who was lying beside her in silence.

"Is our picnic ready Miss Castle?" the brunette asked as Alexis nodded and stared at her for a moment. "Are we going to move and join daddy downstairs or are we going to sit here all day Lex?" Kate smiled, watching when Alexis moved off the bed and stood up before Kate did as well. Walking down the stairs a few moments later, the brunette smiled as she watched the writer carrying food outside as Alexis ran over to help him. "You've made ridiculous amounts of food again Rick" Kate laughed as she walked over and stared at the food that was covering the table on the beach.

"Well I do need to feed you up Kate, you're going to need lots of energy when you're training" the writer smirked before walking over and kissing her gently as Alexis groaned and turned around so she couldn't see them. "I have a surprise for you tonight Kate, I can't wait to see your face when you see it" he whispered against her lips as she beamed and stared at him.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Kate, you really need to learn the meaning of surprise" the writer admitted before moving away to join his daughter. "Right, food people and then maybe we can play twister" the writer explained as Alexis cheered and walked over to help herself to some food.

XOOXOOXOXOXOXO

"Kate right foot blue" the redhead declared as Kate groaned and reached across, her body covering the writer's as he smiled up at her. Hearing Alexis spin the wheel, the two adults watched each other for a moment as they waited for Alexis to tell them Rick's movements. "Daddy left arm green" Alexis stated as Rick groaned and moved, his fingers brushing across Kate's bare arm as she laughed gently.

"Stop cheating Rick" she warned. "Lex tell your dad to stop cheating" the brunette moaned as she looked up at the redhead who immediately crossed her arms, not impressed at the names that her father was cheating in their game.

"Daddy stop cheating, you have to play properly like everyone else otherwise you will be disqualified from the game and Kate will win" Alexis announced, her voice stern as the writer smiled and slowly nodded, knowing that his daughter was right.

"Yes Alexis" Rick whispered, waiting for his daughter's next instruction.

"Katie right hand red" Alexis declared as Kate groaned, knowing that the only red spot she could reach without losing her balance completely was in between the writer's legs.

"Richard Castle, do not comment when I move my hand" Kate warned before moving her hand, the writer smiling as he felt Kate move closer to his body. "Do not say anything Richard or I will make sure you lose this game" the brunette warned, the threatening tone of her voice making him smile in amusement.

"Right daddy left foot red" Alexis cheered, immediately noticing that there weren't any reds free around her father's foot. Moving his foot, the writer laughed as he accidently knocked Kate who immediately collapsed on top of him before they both landed on the map, glad that it was rested on the sand for the first time. "You both lose".

"Meaning we both win as well, so congratulations to us Miss Beckett" Rick smiled before turning to face the brunette properly, his lips finding Kate's quickly as Alexis groaned again even though a small smile was decorating her face.

XOXOXOXOOXXOXO

"So what's the plan for tonight Rick?" Kate asked gently as she climbed into the space beside him the couch while Alexis was upstairs changing into her pyjamas. "Are we doing anything tonight or are we going to have an early night again?" the brunette smiled as the writer found her hand and gently entwined his fingers with hers.

"Of course we have plans tonight, I told you I had a surprise planned" he smiled as she remembered his earlier comment. "So you're going to go upstairs Kate, have a shower and change into the sexy black dress that is hanging in the wardrobe upstairs" Rick declared as confusion covered Kate's face. She didn't own a sexy black dress and she hadn't brought any dresses with her to the Hamptons except for her summer dresses that weren't exactly classed as sexy.

"What sexy black dress Rick?" she asked as his lips moved to her neck for a moment. "I don't own a sexy black dress".

"Maybe you should go and check the wardrobe then Katie" he admitted, watching as she moved away from him before laughing and running up the stairs. She was excited! Entering their bedroom moments later, the brunette sighed as she walked towards the wardrobe door and pulled the doors open before staring at the black dress that was hanging in the middle of the practically empty space Squealing, the brunette gently removed the dress from the wardrobe and held it up against her body.

"Oh wow" Kate whispered before resting it on the bed, knowing that she needed to get ready for wherever the writer was taking her.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"You look…" the writer began as he stared up at the woman who was slowly walking down the stairs, his smile growing as he took in the way that the black dress clung to her figure to perfection while her dark hair was pinned back away from her face. Stopping on the last step, the brunette watched as the writer moved as close as possible before gently kissing her, not knowing how to say what he was thinking. She was perfect! "You're so beautiful Katherine".

"Thank you" she whispered before kissing him gently. "And thank you for the dress, it's stunning. You defiantly understand clothes" the brunette admitted before relaxing. "If we're going out tonight, who's going to look after Alexis?" she asked, knowing her question was going to be answered when the sound of the doorbell ringing filled the building for a moment. Walking towards the door, the writer slowly opened it to reveal the older woman who was standing in the doorway.

"Kate I want you to meet Elizabeth" the writer explained as Kate walked over and smiled at the woman who was grinning at her. "She's been what you could call a neighbour since I moved here. She's looked after Alexis before and Alexis adores her" Rick admitted as Kate shook Elizabeth's hand and watched as Alexis ran down the stairs.

"Elizabeth" the redhead squealed, running over quickly to wrap her arms around the older woman before looking up at Kate, shock covering her face. "Wow Katie, you look so pretty. You look like a princess" Alexis whispered as Kate began to blush, not expecting a compliment from the six years old.

"Thank you sweetheart, I'm glad that you like the outfit. It was your daddy's amazing choice" the brunette admitted before leaning down and pressing a kiss into Alexis' red hair. "You'll be good for Elizabeth tonight sweetheart while your daddy and I are out won't you?" Kate muttered as the redhead nodded and wrapped her arms around her briefly while Rick watched proudly from the doorway.

"Night daddy, have a good time" Alexis smiled, walking over to hug her father quickly as the writer nodded and tightened his arms around her for a moment, not knowing what to say to her. "I'm going to bed now" the redhead declared before running up the stairs, leaving all three adults with large smiles covering their faces.

"She's still as sweet as she was the last time I saw her Mr Castle and just as beautiful as she was last summer" Elizabeth stated as Rick nodded at the woman's compliment.

"Thank you, if there's any problem you know how to contact us. We'll be home around one or two and then I'll drive you home" Rick admitted as Elizabeth nodded and watched as the writer began to lead Kate towards the door while grabbing their coats as he slowly walked. "Right Kate, are you ready for your surprise?" the writer asked quickly as Kate smiled and stared up at him.

"I'd prefer it if I knew where we were going".

"You really need to learn what surprises are Kate, I can't tell you because you're not allowed to know" Rick smirked as Kate rolled her eyes and relaxed, knowing that she could trust the writer.

XOOXOXOXOXXOXOXO

"Are you ready Kate?" Rick asked as he led the brunette down the path, laughing at the tie that was wrapped around her eyes to cover her vision. Stopping, the writer smiled as he stared at her for a moment before relaxing. Nodding, Kate laughed as Rick rested on hand on her shoulder before moving to untie the knot that was behind her head. Slipping the tie from her face, the writer relaxed as he saw the shock cover Kate's face. "What do you think?" he asked.

"A boat Rick? We're going on a boat Rick?" Kate smiled as he nodded and laughed, leading her closer to the boat as she listened to the waves in the background, enjoying how relaxing it already seemed.

"Not just any old boat Kate, we're going on my boat" Rick explained, her shock increasing as she watched the writer step onto the boat before he held his hands out and helped her onto the vehicle as she continued to smile. Following him down the boat, Kate sighed as she watched him turn it on before moving it slightly, a laugh leaving her lips as they began to leave the dock. Sitting down beside the writer, Kate sighed as she watched him for a moment, enjoying the concentration that was covering her face. Stopping the boat, Rick sighed as he stared at the woman beside him with a small smile covering her face, enjoying how beautiful she looked. "Want a tour?" he asked.

"I'd love a tour Rick, it's an amazing boat" she admitted, standing quickly before kicking her shoes off. "They're killing me, I don't normally wear heels that high but they went well with the dress" the brunette laughed as Rick nodded gently and wrapped an arm around her hips, enjoying the feeling of her being close to him. Leading her away from the controls, the writer sighed as he held her close as they entered one area.

"This is the dining room and the living room" he explained as Kate nodded, allowing him to lead her into a small room beside it. "This is the kitchen, we don't really use it because we don't spend longer than a couple of days on the boat usually" the writer declared before wrapping his arms tightly around her. "Maybe one day we'll do a whole week together away from the whole world. Just our whole family and miles of water around us" he explained as Kate nodded.

"I'd like that Rick, I'd really like that actually" she admitted before kissing him gently, amazed by the fact that she was actually on her boyfriend's boat. "Are you going to show me around the rest of this amazing place?" she asked, laughing when he lifted her into his arms and began to carry her around the boat. "I can walk" she moaned.

"I don't care" he laughed as he kicked one of the doors open gently. "This is the main bedroom" he smiled, Kate nodding as she stared at the large bed that filled most of the room. "And through that little door is the bathroom and I guess that's it really Kate. There are some more bedrooms but they're tiny and not worth seeing" he declared before putting her down, smiling at how short she seemed in comparison to him without her shoes on.

"I love it" she admitted before leaning up and kissing him gently. "So what are we doing here?" she whispered.

"Dinner and dancing Kate, dinner and dancing with the most important woman in my life" he stated, her smile growing as he began to lead her back towards the living room. Moving towards the side, the writer relaxed as he pressed a button and listened as music filled the space while Kate's smile increased. She adored this song and he knew that because she hummed it all the time when she was cooking in the loft. "Dance with me Kate" he whispered, holding his hand out for her as she gently allowed him to take hers before he pulled her close. Wrapping her arms around his neck, the brunette relaxed as his hands met behind her back before they began to sway to the music.

"When you first approached me in the coffee shop, did you ever imagine us being here?" she asked as he shook his head and smiled, not knowing what to say. The moment seemed to perfect and he was terrified that saying something would destroy what they were sharing.

"I remember seeing this beautiful young woman in a coffee shop and wanting to know who she was more than anything in the world" Rick admitted. "And the moment she told me her name and called me later that evening I knew I wanted to spend time with her, I knew that I wanted to be with her in some way because she seemed so wonderful" the writer explained as he spun her gently, the room filling with laughter as she came back into his arms and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. "And I fell in love with her Kate; I fell in love with the amazing woman that you are and I know that approaching you that day was the best decision I've ever made in my life".

"I love you Rick" she whispered, kissing him quickly as the writer laughed against her lips before spinning her away again. "Stop spinning me Rick" she laughed as he shook his head and brought her close again, enjoying the warmth of her body against his. Hearing her stomach make a noise, both of them laughed before the writer moved away and approached the kitchen before reappearing with a basket. "I'm going to go and freshen up quickly" she whispered gently before kissing his cheek and slipping towards the bedroom. Reappearing a few moments later, the brunette smiled at the food that covered the table which was also decorated with two candles that the writer had just finished lighting. "This is amazing" she commented.

"I'm glad you think so Miss Beckett, I wanted to spoil you Kate because you deserve everything I can give you" he smiled as he pulled a chair out for her and watched her sit down before he moved to sit on the other chair. Lifting his filled glass into his hands, the writer smiled as he held it up in her direction and watched as she did the same. "To love Kate" he toasted as she nodded in amusement.

"To love" she smiled, clinking her glass against his before taking a sip of the liquid.

XOXOXOXOOXXOXO

"I love moments like this" Kate admitted as she stared at the writer who was lying naked beside her in the boat's bedroom with a large smile covering his face. "I love when we're cuddling in bed after making love and just talking about everything that comes to mind" the brunette declared, leaning across to kiss him gently before relaxing against him.

"I just love seeing you naked Kate" he commented as she rolled her eyes and laughed at his comment before relaxing back. "I also love holding you close and talking to you and watching as you begin to fall asleep in my arms" the writer explained before pressing a kiss to her cheek. "You're so cute when you're exhausted and falling asleep with your head pressed against my chest after a couple of rounds of really amazing sex" he declared as she nodded.

"What time is it?" she asked gently as the writer groaned and reached across for his watch that was resting on the bedside table.

"It's just gone midnight, we should get going soon because Elizabeth is going to be exhausted by the time we get home" he declared as Kate groaned and sat up, holding the sheet around her body as the writer groaned before leading forward and pressing kisses to her back.

"Tonight was perfect Rick, thank you for this" she admitted as he smiled and nodded before slipping out of the bed and changing into his clothes again. "I guess I need to get dressed now" she moaned, the writer's head shaking as he moved onto the bed and pinned her down as she laughed.

"If you don't want to get dressed Kate you don't have too, I rather like you like this actually. You have a really sexy body and I can't help but love it Katherine Beckett" he smirked as she shook her head and leant up to kiss him quickly, his grip loosening before she ran her fingers through his hair and moaned against his lips.

"Go and drive us home Rick, I need to change into my clothes and I won't if you're watching me" the brunette admitted as the writer groaned before standing and leaving the room. Changing quickly, the brunette sighed as she walked out of the room, pulling her hair back into a ponytail as she approached the writer. "Thank you for tonight Rick, it's honestly been amazing" she whispered as Rick shrugged and stared at her for a moment.

"Come here" he smiled, watching as she walked over. Reaching up, the writer smiled as he ran his hands to hair and began to remove the hair tie as she fell silent. "However much I love your hair pulled back, right now it needs to be down" he declared, watching as the brown locks fell around his hands and down to her shoulders again. "That's better Kate" he declared as she rolled her eyes and sighed before kissing him gently, knowing she had everything she wanted with this man.

XOXOXOXOOXOXO

"I'm going to take Elizabeth home" the writer explained as Kate nodded and thanked the older woman before they both left the building seconds later. Walking up the stairs later as she yawned, Kate sighed as she heard footsteps down the corridor before she turned and approached Alexis' bedroom. Pushing the door open, Kate smiled at the sight of Alexis who was sat up in her bed.

"You're supposed to be asleep, its late" the brunette admitted as the redhead nodded slowly. "Why are you awake sweetheart? Did you have a bad dream?" Kate asked as Alexis nodded and reached out as Kate moved to sit on the bed and allowed herself to wrap her arms around the redhead. "No one can hurt you in your dreams sweetheart" she whispered, pressing a kiss into Alexis' red hair before sighing. "I'll be just down the corridor, okay? But you need to get back to sleep. Where's Rory?" she asked.

"Under the bed, he fell off earlier" Alexis admitted as Kate nodded and reached under the find the lion. "I love you Katie" the redhead admitted as she wrapped her arms around the toy lion and yawned.

"Go to sleep sleepy head, I love you too" Kate declared before pressing a kiss to Alexis' forehead and moving towards the door. Turning around briefly, Kate sighed as she watched the six year old for a moment. "If you have another bad dream, come and get me or your daddy and we'll come and kiss you goodnight again" Kate stated as the redhead nodded and yawned again. "Love you".

"Love you too mommy…" Alexis muttered in exhaustion, not noticing her mistake as she began to fall asleep while Kate just stared at her for a moment before shaking her head and leaving the room; knowing that Alexis was tired and probably confused.


	60. Chapter 60

**The last chapter received one review and that worries me, are you still out there? Are you getting bored of this story? Is it dragging on too much? **

"Richard Castle what have you bought this time?" Kate asked quickly as she stared at the boxes that had just been delivered to the house, her curiosity taking over as she watched Rick lift one of the boxes up before opening it and lifting the sets out. "Laser tag? You bought a laser tag set? How older are you?" the brunette asked in shock before laughing when the writer nodded and threw the vest over at her.

"Old enough to buy top of the line laser tag" he stated as she rolled her eyes. "Anyway I bought three" he stated as Kate nodded. "We can all play it tonight on the beach maybe; I thought it would be a fun way to spend our last evening in the Hamptons" he admitted as she smiled before leaning across and kissing his cheek gently, still shocked by the fact that he had bought the set. "I also thought that we could have a barbecue tonight on the beach as well, Alexis loves them and I think it will be a nice way to celebrate this amazing holiday" Rick stated as Kate nodded, already in love with the idea of spending their last night on the beach with Alexis. She adored Alexis and they seemed to have gotten closer with every day they spent together. Kate also hadn't forgotten how Alexis had called her mommy in a sleep induced state and the idea of it made her feel slightly warmer. "Are you okay?" the writer asked.

"Yes, I'm fine Rick. I'm better than fine actually" Kate admitted. She hadn't told the writer about what Alexis had said because she didn't want to discuss it and analyse what Alexis had said because it would be pulled apart. She wanted to keep it to herself because it meant too much to her to have it brushed off as a mistake. "Where's Lex?" she asked.

"She's making sandcastles on the beach and moaning because she's realised that you're going to be going away soon" he declared as Kate nodded slowly and approached the open door to see the redhead who was sitting quietly on the sand in a dark green dress. "She'll be fine though" the writer whispered, watching as Kate quickly walked out of the house. He knew that Alexis adored Kate and the bond between them had increased a lot over the past few weeks but he hadn't expected the redhead to be so upset about Kate leaving to go to training.

"Hey little one, that's an amazing sandcastle. You're going to have to teach me how to make them that good soon" Kate smiled as she sat down beside Alexis and remained silent for a moment, staring at the sandcastle Alexis was working on. "Can we talk about me going away soon sweetheart?" the brunette asked as the redhead nodded slowly, not bothering to turn to look at her as she continued to work on the sandcastle. "You do know you can come and see me every other weekend and I'll call every night if I can" Kate declared.

"It won't be the same Katie" the six year old whispered, obviously upset as Kate smiled and moved closer to her. "I don't want you to leave Kate, I want you to stay here with daddy and me" she admitted, tears filling her eyes as Kate wrapped her arms tightly around the small girl before relaxing. She needed to hold her. She needed to make that pain go away.

"Come on sweetheart, we need to talk" Kate whispered, standing up quickly before she offered her hand to Alexis who quickly took hold of it. Walking down the beach in silence, the brunette sighed as she kicked her shoes of quickly and began to walk in the water, Alexis kicking her shoes off quickly as well before doing the same with her hand clinging desperately onto Kate's. "So what's going on Miss Alexis?" she asked.

"What do you mean Katie?" Alexis replied, making Kate smile gently as she looked down at the small girl who was stood beside her.

"Why are you so upset about me going away sweetheart? You know that it's not for long and that you can come and visit every other weekend. I've already told your daddy that I'll try and call every night to read some of your story to you; your dad is going to give me the copies of the books you're reading. We've already discussed it and you seemed fine about it earlier" Kate admitted as Alexis looked down, not wanting Kate to see the tears that were appearing in her eyes.

"But you won't come back. Mommy said she'd come back and she never did. She just left us Katie and she's my mommy" the redhead sobbed as Kate nodded slowly, finally understanding what the main problem was. Meredith and her abandonment! Kneeling down, Kate sighed as she looked at the redhead who had tears running down her cheeks, not caring about the water that was surrounding her because she was knelt down in the water. "You're going to be all wet Katie" Alexis admitted through her tear as the brunette quickly shrugged.

"I don't care, I've just got to make my little girl smile again" the brunette whispered before leaning up and pressing a kiss to Alexis' cheek. "I have something for you as well sweetheart" she explained as Alexis stared at her in confusion, watching as Kate stood up and dug into her pockets, breathing a sigh of relief when she found the ring she'd buried deep into the pocket. Kneeling back down, Kate laughed as she stared down at the ring she was holding in her fingers along with the chain that she had threaded through it. "I bought this on the same day as I bought your dad's ring" she admitted as Alexis watched her in confusion.

"Why?" Alexis asked.

"Because you're special to me Alexis and I want you to know that I'll be coming home the moment I can" the brunette explained as she stood up and gently placed the necklace around her neck. "I promise sweetheart that I'll call every evening unless something really important comes up and if you need me really badly then I'll be here because I love you" Kate declared, knowing that she needed to make it clear why she was giving Alexis a ring. Feeling Alexis' arms wrap around her, the brunette sighed as she held her close for a moment as the redhead shut her eyes and laughed when Kate lifted her off the ground. "Are you happier now sweetheart?"

"I still don't want you to go Katie" Alexis admitted, not knowing what else to say. "Do you really have to go? Can't you do your training and come home every night?" the redhead asked as Kate shook her head and sighed, hating herself for causing the six year old so much pain. She didn't blame her for being scared! Her mother had abandoned her when she was younger and now she felt like the only other major female influence she had was leaving her too.

"I wish I could stay home and train during the day Alexis but it doesn't work like that and this is really important to me" the brunette explained as she put Alexis down and quickly sat down on the sand with her while Alexis clung onto her hand. "Sometimes people have to do things that don't want in order to get the thing they want more than anything in the world" Kate stated.

"You really want to be a cop don't you Katie?" Alexis whispered as the brunette nodded and smiled weakly, thinking about what had led her to want this. "Why?" she asked gently.

"Because I want to do something to help people during the worst time in their lives, I want to bring people closure unlike what I got when my mom died" Kate whispered as the redhead nodded and tightly wrapped her arms around Kate's body, hating herself for upsetting the brunette.

"I'm sorry for making you sad Katie, I didn't want to make you upset" the redhead muttered as the brunette shook her head and smiled at her.

"Sometimes thinking about my mommy makes me sad Alexis but a lot of the time it makes me happy because she loved me a lot and we had loads of fun memories" Kate stated as she lay back against the warm sand and stared up at the sky; Alexis quickly doing the same thing as Kate relaxed. "We have loads of fun memories too don't we sweetheart?" the teenager asked.

"Yes" Alexis admitted.

"What's your favourite one of our fun memories sweetheart?" Kate asked, attempting to make the redhead smile again.

"When you read to me at night Katie because you make funny voices for all the characters" the redhead smiled as Kate laughed and nodded, knowing that she enjoyed reading the books just as much as the six year old enjoyed listening to them.

"I like reading to you Alexis, it's one of my favourite things to do actually" the brunette explained as Kate nodded and quickly wrapped her arms around him. Hearing the door shut, Kate quickly turned around to see the writer walking onto the beach with a plate full of the food before approaching the barbecue that had been set up earlier that day. "I do believe your father is starting the barbecue" Kate explained as Alexis sat up and turned to look at her father who waved across at them. "Did your daddy tell you about the laser tag set he bought today?" she asked, watching as shock covered the redhead's face before she turned to look at the direction of her father.

"Daddy you bought laser tag?" Alexis asked as Rick smiled and nodded. "Grow up daddy" the redhead declared as Kate bit into her lip, determined not to laugh at the redhead's earlier comment.

XOXOOXXOXOXOXO

"Kate that's not fair" Rick moaned as he heard the noise ringing out, indicating that he'd been shot obviously by the brunette who was now laughing alongside the redhead. "That wasn't fair, two against one doesn't count. I would have won that if it was one on one" the writer moaned as both Alexis and Kate shook their heads and laughed at him before removing their vests.

"Rick stop moaning, you're a grown man. Just be gracious and accept the fact that we beat you" Kate smiled as she walked over and gently kissed him, Alexis groaning as she put her vest down on the sand and wrapped her arms tightly around Kate. "Sweetheart, why don't you run upstairs and find your book? We can read it on the beach tonight" Kate explained as Alexis nodded and ran into the house while the writer stared at her.

"She's been clinging onto you all day Kate, what's going on with her today?" the writer asked as Kate nodded, burying her head into his chest as she groaned gently and shut her eyes.

"She doesn't want me to leave Rick, she doesn't think I'm going to come home to you when it's over" the brunette commented as her eyes shut slowly while his arms tightened around her body. "I don't want her to be scared like that Rick, it's not fair for her to be afraid of me never coming back when I will" Kate admitted as Rick nodded, hating the fact that Alexis was terrified of people leaving her.

"She just needs to see you come back Kate then she'll know that you're serious" the writer promised, pressing a gentle kiss into her hair before moving away slightly. Hearing movement, the writer smiled as Alexis ran over to join them. "Actually Kate there is something I want to ask you" he declared.

"What?" she asked as the writer smiled down at his daughter before looking up at the brunette and digging into his pocket. "Am I going to have to guess what you want to ask Rick?" she questioned as he shook his head and stared at her, his hand cupping her cheek gently as she bit into her lip.

"We've been together almost a year now and I can't imagine what life would be like without you" he stated as she laughed gently, staring at him as he watched her for a moment. "I love waking up to you in the morning Kate and falling asleep with you cuddled up against me. I love having you around Kate and Alexis adores it when you're there to tuck her in" he admitted as the redhead nodded and laughed. "So Katherine Beckett, when you get back from training, will you move in with us?" he asked as shock covered her face.


	61. Chapter 61

"I…" she began.

"I mean you can go to your dad's all the time if you want and he'll be invited over all the time I promise, he can even have a key if he wants. It just seems ridiculous that we're constantly going back there to get you clothes and things Kate when you're practically living at the loft" he admitted as Kate smiled, shocked that he'd even suggested it. They hadn't discussed moving in together. It had never come up in conversation before and the idea terrified her slightly. "I know we've been together nearly a year Kate and that you're only nineteen but I want to be with you so much! I can see this being the real thing but I'm not going to force you into…"

"Yes" she blurted out before laughing. "Let's do it" she smiled as her arms tightly wrapped around his neck. "You'll have to make space in your wardrobe for me Rick".

"I can do that. You can have all the space you want" he declared as she nodded and flung her arms around his neck before kissing him gently. "I love you".

"I love you" Kate repeated before looking at the redhead who was already sat on the sand with her book resting in her hands. "I need to go and read a book to a certain little girl, I promised" she stated, walking away before Rick could comment. Sitting down next to the redhead, Kate smiled as she wrapped one arm around the six year old before opening the page to where they had finished the previous evening. "Did you hear what your dad asked me?" she asked gently.

"He asked you to move in with us, what did you say?" Alexis asked in amazement.

"I said yes, is that okay with you? Me moving in with you two and your gram?" the brunette asked as Alexis' smile grew before she threw her arms around the older woman who began to laugh. "I guess you're happy then Alexis" she commented as the redhead quickly nodded before cuddling up into Kate's side. "Right, we need to read this book little one. I said we were going to finish it before I went for my training and we're going to do that" she stated as Alexis nodded and relaxed, falling silent as the brunette began to read to her while Rick worked on the barbecue, occasionally looking up to watch them with the largest smile covering his face.

XOXOXOXOOXOXO

"How much of your book have you two got left to read?" Rick asked as Alexis and Kate moved to join him at the table, smiles covering their faces as they began to help themselves to the food he'd prepared.

"We've got another couple of chapters left but we should get it finished at bedtime tonight" Kate admitted as Alexis nodded beside her with a small smile covering her face. "This is really nice thank you Rick" the brunette whispered as she took a bite of the food and smiled at the man who was sat opposite her with a large grin covering his face. "So home tomorrow" she stated as Rick groaned and pretended to frown, making Alexis giggle slightly as his expressions. "You know we can't stay here forever Rick even if we wanted to its not possible".

"I know but it's just nice spending two whole weeks with my girls and no one else. I like not having to worry about work or anything else, it's just nice to spend time with you without having to worry about anything else" he declared as Kate rolled her eyes before continuing to eat the food in front of her. "Although I have missed the noise of New York".

"Really? I've really enjoyed the peace" Kate admitted as the writer shrugged before leaning across to kiss her, Alexis groaning again as the two adults pulled away. "Behave writer boy" the brunette warned as her smile grew and her arm tightly wrapped around Alexis who laughed gently. "Although the past two weeks have gone way too fast" she added as both Rick and Alexis nodded. "But if this went really fast, the next three months are going to go really quick too".

"No they won't because you won't be here Katie" Alexis moaned as Rick smiled weakly at the sad expression that quickly covered his daughter's face at the idea of Kate leaving them. "I'm going to get ready for bed" the redhead stated a few moments later when everyone had fallen silent.

"If you stay there, I'll come and finish the book with you in a minute Lex" Kate called after her when Alexis began to run towards the house. Moving out of her seat when the redhead had disappeared into the house, Kate smiled as she sat herself down on Rick's laps and wrapped her arms around his neck as she beamed up at him. "Hello" she laughed.

"Hello beautiful" he whispered, leaning down to kiss her gently as she relaxed. "You're moving into the loft Kate" he stated, the brunette nodding quickly as she laughed gently and quickly kissed him again, enjoying the feeling of his lips on hers again. "You better start walking up to read to Alexis if you want to finish your book tonight" he stated as Kate climbed up off of his lap before relaxing. Running towards the house, Kate smiled as she walked upstairs and approached Alexis' bedroom to find the redhead already sat on the bed with the book open on her lap.

"Two chapters to go and we're going to get it finished tonight sweetheart, I promise" Kate stated as Alexis smiled up at her and nodded before the brunette sat down beside her and sighed. Taking the book into her hands, Kate relaxed as she began to read what they had left while Alexis laid down in the bed and stared up at Kate, listening to everything she was saying. Closing the book later that evening, the brunette sighed as she turned to see Alexis watching her with a small smile covering her face. "The end" Kate stated, laughing when the redhead began to clap. "Goodnight sweetheart" Kate whispered as she moved off the bed and gently pressed a kiss to Alexis' forehead. "Your daddy will be coming up to say goodnight soon".

"Night Katie, I love you" the six year old admitted as Kate nodded and stood up, noticing that Alexis still had her necklace around her neck.

"Are you going to remove your necklace sweetheart?" the brunette asked, watching as Alexis slid the necklace out from under the pyjama t-shirt before threading her finger through the ring.

"I don't want too, I love it" the redhead explained as Kate nodded gently and smiled at how Alexis was playing with the ring before yawning. "I'm sleepy" Alexis admitted as Kate laughed, hearing a floorboard creak before she turned to see the door opening and the writer walking into the room. "Daddy" Alexis smiled.

"I just came to say goodnight to my favourite red head" the writer explained as he walked over and pressed a kiss to Alexis' forehead. "What did you think of the book? New favourite?" he asked as Alexis nodded and smiled, looking across at Kate who was now waiting in the doorway for the writer. "I'll see you tomorrow pumpkin because you need to get a good night's sleep".

"I will daddy. Goodnight daddy, Katie" she stated, shutting her eyes before shaking her head and opening her eyes to see the two adults walking towards the door. "Wait, wait, wait" Alexis laughed as they stopped and turned to look at her with small smiles covering their faces. "I love you" the redhead cheered.

"I love you pumpkin" Rick smiled as Kate nodded.

"I love you too Alexis" Kate declared as she watched the redhead nod before relaxing in bed and shutting her eyes.

**I know it's a pitifully short but I wanted to give you an answer to the question. The next chapter will be Kate leaving for training and a new character will be introduced! Dun! Dun! Dun! I'm really being over dramatic today, I don't know what's wrong with me. **

**Also, massive thank you to everyone who reviewed! We got passed the five hundred review marker so I'm really happy today! That might be what's wrong with me!**


	62. Chapter 62

"Have you packed everything Kate?" Rick asked as he entered his bedroom to find Kate's case laid across the bed wide open while she continued to throw clothes into the bag. Walking over to the brunette who had stress practically painted across her face, the writer sighed as he quickly wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to the back of her head. "Sit down" he ordered, a groan leaving her lips as he led towards the bed and watched as she sat down in the space left. "Lie back and relax because you're stressing out over nothing" he declared as she nodded before lying back and watching as he walked towards her case and began to fold her clothes for her.

"You're packing my case for me Rick?" she commented as her smile grew.

"I'm organising your case for you because right now it looks like a bomb just went off" he explained as Kate nodded and smiled, enjoying that fact that he wanted to help her. "Look in the drawer" he smiled as confusion covered her face before she sat up and reached into the drawer before pulling out a photo album that had a ribbon wrapped around it.

"What's this?" the brunette questioned, undoing the ribbon before she opened the photo album to see a picture of her and Alexis curled up on the couch covering the front page while the writer was pulling a face behind her; her smile growing at the sight of the image. Turning the page, Kate felt her teeth sink into her bottom lip as she stared at the image of her mother and father holding her when she was a new born. "Where did you get these from?" Kate asked as she flicked through a couple of pages to see pictures of her as a child mainly with her mother or father.

"Your dad found some pictures for me that he knew you liked" he stated as Kate nodded and stared at the images showing her growing up. Turning over the page, Kate felt her smile grow at the images of Alexis' birthday especially the picture of her and Rick sat with the beaming birthday girl with the chocolate cake waiting in front of them. She'd never seen the image before and she loved it. "Do you like it?" Rick asked as he finished folding her clothes and looked across to see her staring at pictures from there time in Miami.

"I forgot about these" Kate admitted as she ran her fingers across a picture of the two of them stood on the beach with their arms around each other and large smiles covering their faces. "It seems like years ago since we were in Miami Rick" the brunette explained as Rick nodded and shut her case, not zipping it though because he knew Kate would want to take the album with her. Turning the page again, Kate smiled at the photo that had been taken on her birthday. Everyone was sat on the couch and smiling at the camera. "Wow" she whispered.

"That's our family Katie" the writer commented as he sat beside her and wrapped an arm around her, beaming at how Alexis was sat on Kate's lap in the image while he sat proudly beside her with his mother on his other side who was laughing at something Jim had obviously said because he was also laughing beside Kate. Turning the page, the writer smiled at the image of Kate and Alexis who were cuddled up on Alexis' bed with a book, smiles covering both their faces. Looking across at the brunette, Rick sighed as he saw the silent tears that were running down her cheeks. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked quickly.

"I don't want to leave you Rick, I don't want to leave any of you" she admitted, her tears becoming worse as she shut her eyes and shook her head, knowing that she was being stupid. Taking hold of her hand, the writer sighed as he squeezed it lightly before relaxing, not knowing what else to do.

"I know you're scared now but you want to do this Kate" he stated as she nodded slowly. "And we're all going to support you because we know how much this means to you. Yes, it's going to be hard being apart for three months but you said so yourself we have every other weekend to come and visit and they'll be phone calls" the writer admitted as she nodded, knowing that he was right about this. "I'll call you every single night if I have too Kate" Rick smiled as she laughed and turned around to kiss him gently. "There are more photos Kate" he admitted.

"I'll leave myself something to look at when I arrive at training" she explained as she shut the book and quickly slid it into her case. "Thank you, it's an amazing present. I absolutely love it Rick" the brunette admitted before kissing him gently, pulling away when Alexis knocked on the door and slid into the room with her hands behind her back.

"Gram just arrived with Lanie and Jim" the redhead stated as Kate turned to look at the writer who forced a smile onto his face.

"Surprise" he declared in amusement while Kate just shook her head before she looked across to see Alexis beaming at her. "Are you okay pumpkin?" Rick asked, surprised that his daughter was smiling on the day that Kate was leaving them.

"I have something for you Katie" the redhead cheered as she walked over to them while the brunette nodded slowly, excited to see what the six year old had for her. Holding out the toy lion that she'd been holding behind her backs, the redhead smiled as shock covered Kate's face. "I want you to have Rory" she admitted.

"But he's your lion sweetheart, we bought him at the zoo" Kate whispered as Alexis shrugged before jumping onto the bed and cuddling into Kate's side while the brunette quickly took the toy lion into her hands. "I don't want to take him from you Lex, he's your favourite toy" the teenager explained as Alexis shrugged, desperately wanting Kate to take the lion with her.

"I want you to have him, he'll stop you feeling lonely when you're away from us" the redhead explained as Kate nodded and quickly pressed a kiss to the toy lion before leaning across and pressing a kiss into Alexis' red hair.

"Thank you sweetheart, I'll look after him for you" Kate explained as Alexis nodded. "I guess we should go and see everyone before I need to leave" the brunette admitted as Rick stood up and watched Alexis run out of the room. "You're still driving me aren't you Rick?" Kate asked quickly as the writer nodded and wrapped his arms around her waist for a moment.

"I'm going to drive you there and kiss you for a while and probably cry for a bit when I'm forced to say goodbye to you Katherine" the writer admitted as Kate rolled her eyes, laughing in amusement at what he'd just said.

"You can be so feminine sometimes Rick" Kate laughed as the writer shrugged and quickly kissed her, a small moan leaving her lips as she pulled away after a few moments. "Later, everyone is waiting for us at the moment" she murmured before she took his hand and led him out of the bedroom.

"Here they are, the two love birds" Martha laughed as the couple walked out and smiled at everyone that were already seated on the couches. "How was your holiday in the Hamptons?" the redhead asked as Rick sat down in the spare seat before pulling Kate onto his lap.

"It was amazing, we only had one bad storm but it was fantastic" Kate explained as she stared at the rings that were decorating hers and Rick's fingers for a moment. "However, someone didn't listen when I told them that they needed more sun cream and ended up with the worst sunburn imaginable" Kate admitted as the older redhead rolled her eyes.

"Oh Richard" Martha commented as Kate laughed.

"Katherine Beckett hold your hand up" Lanie blurted out as the room fell silent. Holding her right hand up, Kate smiled at the ring less hand she was holding up, knowing that the medical student had caught a glimpse of the ring on her left hand. "The other hand Kate" she warned as Kate bit into her lip and held up her hand, both women smiling at the ring before Lanie squealed. "Oh my god you've got a ring, why have you got a ring?" Lanie questioned.

"Rick bought it for me, it's a promise ring" Kate explained as Jim nodded slowly, still shocked by the presence of the ring. "Rick's got one too" the brunette admitted as the writer quickly held his hand up to reveal the ring Kate had bought him to everyone in the room. "We got promise rings the first night in the Hamptons" Kate explained as she watched the writer with a small smile covering her face.

"I got one too, Katie bought it for me" Alexis added as Martha smiled and looked at the ring that the younger redhead was holding in between her fingers while it remained tied around her neck. "Kate's moving in gram, she's going to live with us" the redhead squealed as shock covered Martha and Lanie's faces.

"Dad you don't look shocked at the news" the brunette admitted as she noticed the smug smile that was covering Jim Beckett's face at the news that Alexis had just told them. "What's going on?" Kate asked quickly as she looked from her father to the beaming writer. "Why do I feel like something's going on that I don't know about?" she smiled.

"Rick actually came to me about asking you to move in with him Kate" Jim admitted as shock covered Kate's face as she turned to look at the writer in amazement.

"And what did you say?" the brunette asked, wanting to know her father's first thoughts on the idea.

"Originally I was terrified by the idea, you're only nineteen and this older man was asking me my thoughts on you moving in with him and his family then I realised that you practically live here anyway and Rick makes you happy and in the end he had come to me to talk about it before he even asked you so it just reflected how much he cares about you and how seriously he's taking the relationship" Jim admitted as Kate bit into her lip before leaning forward and gently kissing the writer as Alexis groaned and hid her eyes in her grandmother's jacket.

"You two are so cute" Lanie squealed, making everyone in the room laugh as Kate just relaxed in the writer's arms, struggling to imagine how she was going to cope for the next three months.

XOOXOXOXOXOXXOOXO

"I can't believe you're going to police academy Kate, it seems like only yesterday that you were going to school for the first time" Jim smiled as he stood with his daughter as tears filled her eyes before she tightly wrapped her arms around her father.

"I'm scared daddy" she admitted.

"You've just got to stay strong sweetheart. I've never seen you give up on anything you wanted and you're going to be an amazing cop one day" he explained as Kate nodded slowly, moving away from him for a moment before turning around to see Rick sat on the couch with a tearful Alexis sat beside him. "They really love you Kate, you're Alexis' whole world" Jim admitted.

"How do you cope with leaving them daddy? I can't imagine not being with them for three months" she admitted as he smiled before pressing a kiss to her cheek gently.

"You find a way sweetheart, you always find a way to cope with being separated from the people you love. I hated being apart from your mother Kate but we wrote to each other whenever she was gone and we also called each other whenever we could" Jim explained as Kate nodded slowly and quickly held him close.

"You'll come and visit me daddy won't you?" Kate asked quickly as he nodded and hugged her again. "Every other weekend, you can come with Rick and Alexis if you want and I'll call you when I can to tell you how I'm doing" the brunette explained as Jim nodded silently, not wanting to let his little girl go. She might be nineteen years old but to him she was still the new born baby Johanna and him had been blessed with!

"I love you Katie and I know you can do this" Jim whispered into her hair for a moment. "Your mom would be so proud of what you're doing Katie. She'd be proud of everything you've done not just career wise but with Alexis" he said as Kate nodded.

"Promise you'll spend some time with her while I'm gone. She really likes you and she adores spending time with you and it would mean a lot to me if the two of you got to know each other better" Alexis admitted as the older man nodded before he moved away and watched as Alexis ran over and wrapped her arms tightly around Kate who sighed and ran her fingers through the redhead's hair.

"Hey little one" Kate whispered as Alexis groaned and shut her eyes. "It's not goodbye yet Lex, you're coming with your daddy to drop me off remember" the brunette whispered as Alexis nodded and continued to cling onto Kate.

"Talking about dropping you off, we should go" Rick stated as shock covered Kate's face. Was it that time already? Noticing the shock that was covering Kate's face, the writer sighed as he walked towards the brunette before kissing her cheek gently. "I know it seems scary right now but this is what you wanted to do Kate and you're going to be so proud of yourself once you've done it" he explained as Kate nodded slowly and turned to see Martha and Lanie watching her in silence.

"I guess I'm going" she laughed as both women smiled before walking over to her.

"Good luck girl, you'll be amazing" Lanie admitted as she wrapped her arms around her friend for a moment, not knowing what else to say. "Don't miss us too much while you're gone" the student laughed as Kate nodded, a small smile slowly covering her face as she found herself buried in Martha's arms a few moments later.

"Be careful darling" Martha warned as Kate nodded slowly, enjoying the warmth of Martha's arms around her. "I'm always here if you need to talk to someone about things that you can't talk to Richard about" she admitted as the brunette nodded again, not knowing what to say to her. "I can't think of anything to say to you because everyone else has already said it" the redhead laughed.

"What you've said already is enough Martha, thank you" Kate admitted as Martha pressed a kiss into her hair before moving away. "Make sure Alexis doesn't miss me too much" Kate smiled as the older redhead laughed gently and turned to look at her granddaughter who was staring at Kate from the corner after Rick had managed to prise her away from the brunette.

"I don't know if that will be possible, she misses you already and you haven't even left yet" Martha smiled as Kate laughed gently and nodded before waving the younger redhead over. Running over, the six year old smiled when Kate knelt down and tightly wrapped her arms around the little girl. "I'll give you two a minute" Martha smiled, walking over to join everyone who were currently watching the two women.

"You need to stop looking like you're going to cry baby girl" Kate whispered as she wrapped her arms around the redhead. "I'll call you tonight sweetheart, I'll tell you about my room and everyone I meet and I'll do that every night if I have too to make you realise that I'll be coming home to you when these three months are over" the brunette explained before looking across at the writer who was staring down at his watch. "Come with me quickly" Kate smiled, taking Alexis' hand before they went upstairs. Finding the planner on Alexis' wall, the brunette smiled as she found a red pen and quickly moved forward three months. "I'm coming home here" Kate declared, circling the date as Alexis nodded. "Now you can count down every single day until I come back to you".

"You'll call every day?" Alexis asked.

"Every single day sweetheart, remember I promised" Kate smiled, kissing her cheek gently before sighing. "We better go because we'll be late" she stated as the redhead nodded and took hold of Kate's hand. Walking down the stairs, the brunette smiled as she watched the writer pick up her case. "I guess this is goodbye" Kate admitted as she looked at Martha then at Lanie and finally at her father.

"Only for three months Kate" Jim stated as Lanie nodded and smiled.

"Anyway, we'll come and visit you whenever we can. You won't miss us at all" Lanie added as Kate pulled her jacket on and sighed before nodding while Alexis clung onto her hands again, her grip becoming stronger every time.

XOXOOXOXOOXOXO

"Here we are" Rick sighed as he pulled up outside the building and sighed before looking across at the brunette who was biting into her bottom lip. "It's going to be okay Kate, you're going to be fine" he admitted as she nodded again before climbing out of the vehicle, the writer doing the same as Kate approached the boot and quickly opened it to remove her case. "I can't believe this is it" he stated.

"Three months" she mumbled, tears filling her eyes as he shook his head and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "I don't want to leave you Rick, I don't want to leave either of you" the brunette admitted as she looked into the car to see the redhead fast asleep in the back of the car. "Do I wake her?" she asked.

"I think that would be better, she'll be furious if she finds out she didn't say goodbye" Rick admitted, watching as Kate moved out of his arms and opened the car door before kneeling down beside the redhead.

"Alexis sweetheart wake up" the brunette admitted as Alexis yawned. "Sweetheart, we're here. I have to go now" she stated as Alexis' eyes opened before her arms wrapped tightly around her. "I'll call you tonight Lex I promise, I'll tell you everything about this place" Kate smiled before kissing her forehead gently, not knowing what else to do to make her feel better. "I love you" Kate whispered.

"I love you too" the redhead replied before they fell silent.

"Pumpkin, Katie really needs to go now otherwise she'll be late" Rick admitted, hating himself for forcing the two apart. Watching as Alexis slowly removed her arms from around Kate's neck, the writer sighed as Kate forced a smile onto her face before standing and wrapping her arms around the writer. "I love you, I love you so much you wonderful and fantastic woman" he stated as she quickly leant up and kissed him.

"I love you Rick" she whispered, clinging onto him in desperation as he held her in silence for a moment.

"You need to go" he declared as she nodded and looked towards the crowd of people who were walking towards the main building. "Hold your head up high Katherine Beckett and prove to everyone how extraordinary you are" he whispered as she nodded and moved away, smiling when he wiped the tears away from her face. "I love you".

"I love you too" she admitted before grabbing her case and waving at the redhead who was staring at her from the car before waving back. Blowing a kiss at the redhead, Kate smiled gently as she looked across at the crowds of people that were walking in the direction she had to go. "I should go before I never leave" she admitted as he nodded and sighed, hating the fact that she was leaving. "I'll call you tonight".

"You better do" he laughed as she bit into her lip and sighed. "Go and be the best you can be Katherine Beckett" he smiled, laughing when she slowly began to walk away from the car before turning and waving at him, knowing that the next three months were going to be the longest in her life.

XOOXOXOXOXOXO

Walking into the crowd, Kate sighed as she began to walk towards the building knowing that Rick had just left because she'd just glanced behind her to see the car disappearing from sight. Feeling someone push her gently, the brunette groaned as she turned to see a man standing behind her with worry covering his face.

"Sorry, I slipped over my case again. Always happens" the man explained as Kate shrugged before shaking her head, not caring as she wasn't in pain any longer. "I'm Javier, Javier Esposito" he stated as Kate nodded and laughed, watching as he held a hand out for her before she shook it.

"I'm Katherine well Kate, Kate Beckett" she admitted before laughing, glad that she'd met someone already. "So police training?" she asked as he nodded in amusement.

"I needed to do something" he explained as she nodded slowly, knowing that he was avoiding saying something. "What about you Kate? Police training?" he asked as she bit into her lip, not wanting to mention her mother to someone she'd just met.

"I needed to do something" she responded as he laughed and entered the building with her, also glad that he'd met someone.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Richard, Kate's on the phone" Martha called as both Rick and Alexis ran down the stairs for the phone, the writer laughing as he took it from his mother and sat down before Alexis jumped onto his lap, wanting to hear what Kate said somehow.

"Hello" Rick smiled down the line.

"Hey stranger, remember me" Kate laughed as she relaxed back on the bed in her room. "How are you doing? How's Alexis?" she immediately asked as the writer stared down at his daughter with a small smile covering his face.

"We're both fine although we miss you like crazy, what's police academy like?" he asked.

"Busy" she admitted before looking around her room. "The room's okay and I've literally just finished unpacking and am now sat on my bed thinking about how much I miss you two" she explained as the writer smiled and began to play with his daughter's hair. "I met someone earlier who seems nice" she added.

"What's she like? Name?" he asked.

"Why do you immediately presume that it's a woman?" she asked.

"A man? You've met a man Kate?" he laughed, Kate smiling at his obvious jealousy over her being with another man. "What's this new man in your life like then Katherine?" he asked.

"One, he's not my type and two I have a boyfriend who I'm madly in love with and miss like crazy already" Kate explained as Rick smiled and nodded, knowing that he really trusted Kate.

"So tell me about this man you've met Kate" he stated as shock covered Alexis' face. "Just a friend sweetheart, just a friend" he whispered to his daughter, relaxing her immediately.

"His name is Javier Esposito; he knocked me over when we were walking in because he tripped over his case. His room is down the corridor from mine" she explained as Rick nodded gently, still feeling nervous about the new man in her life. "You don't need to worry Rick, there's only one man I want and he's a bestselling novelist with the most beautiful daughter in the world".

"Well I'm glad you've made a friend already" he stated before Alexis reached out for the phone. "Lex wants to talk to you" the writer explained as Kate nodded. "I love you Katie" he admitted as she smiled.

"I love you too Rick" she replied. "Now put Alexis on the phone" she laughed, listening to the sound of the phone moving.

"Hello Katie" Alexis laughed down the phone.

"Hey little one" Kate smiled, happy to have her family with her in some form.

**Long chapter today but I wanted to get it uploaded today because I probably won't write one tomorrow as I'm having an operation and will feel like complete rubbish for the whole day. **

**Thank you for the amazing response! I hope you like this chapter and give me the same response as last time, if I receive as good a response I might be persuaded to write a small update tomorrow with some cute Caskett phone moments! **

**Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	63. Chapter 63

"So I can't help but notice the ring on your finger Kate" Javier stated as they sat at a window table in a small pizza restaurant that they'd both discovered when they'd gone for a walk earlier that day. "Engaged?" he asked quickly, her head shaking as she brought the glass of water to her lips for a moment before she stared down at her ring and smiled, her mind becoming full of the memories of being on the balcony with Rick and the two of them making their promises to love each other and be faithful no matter where they were.

"It's a promise ring, my boyfriend and I bought them for each other before I came here, we just wanted to show other people that we were in serious relationships and that we were no go areas. He's extremely protective" the brunette laughed as Javier nodded slowly and smiled at her.

"So how long have the two of you been together to be serious?" he asked.

"A year next Friday" she explained as Esposito nodded. "We have a little girl as well" she added, shock covering his face as she quickly shook her head, knowing he how thought that in the past year that she'd given birth to a daughter. "Well Rick has a little girl, she's six. Her name's Alexis but we're a family or at least we try to be" the brunette explained as she thought about the redhead, remembering that she needed to phone her tonight so they could read the first chapter of their newest book. Hearing footsteps approaching them, Kate smiled as she watched a waitress walked over with the large pepperoni pizza they'd ordered to share.

"So you're nineteen, you're practically married to this guy and you're a mother to his daughter" he listed as she nodded before eating a slice of pizza, her smile growing as she thought about everything he was saying. She hardly knew the man and he'd just summed up her life for her in a sentence. "That's defiantly commitment" Esposito commented as she nodded quickly and smiled across at him.

"So what about you Javier Esposito? Any special women in your life that are waiting for you while we're here training?" she asked as he shook his head quickly.

"No. When I came back from the army I found out that my girlfriend of two and a half years had found someone else" he explained as shock covered her face. "I've given up on relationships for the moment, at least until I've done with this" he stated as she nodded slowly.

"You were in the army?" she asked quickly.

"Yeah, Special Forces" he admitted before relaxing back. "You know any hot young woman who I might be interested in?" he asked, a laugh leaving her lips before she shrugged.

"Depends on what you want in a woman Javier" she admitted before he sighed. "Come on Javier, what you want in your ideal woman? I promise not to judge" she asked quickly as he laughed gently.

"Someone who can make me laugh but also knows how to shout at me when I need it" he explained in amusement. "Being beautiful would also help although looks aren't everything, I know that. I would rather have a woman with an amazing personality than stunning looks" he added as she nodded again. "They've also got to have their own mind and be able to stick up for what they believe in" she admitted as Kate smiled, thinking immediately of one woman in particular.

"If I set you up on a blind date with one of my friends next weekend would you hate me?" she asked, his head shaking quickly before he laughed.

"I would try it and then decide whether I want to love you or hate you" he admitted as she beamed, immediately thinking about calling Lanie when she got back to her room.

XOOXOXOXOXXOXO

"Oh my god Lanie I've just met the perfect guy for you, he honestly is everything you could want in a guy" Kate laughed as she lay on the bed with the phone pressed against her ear.

"What? Where? Is he hot?" Lanie immediately asked as Kate smiled and looked across at her photo album that was resting on the bedside table. Sighing, the brunette quickly lifted the book onto her lap before flicking through the photos as she continued to listen to Lanie laughing for a moment. "So tell me about this guy?" she asked.

"He used to be in the Special Forces, he's funny and nice and his last girlfriend left him while he was away at the army so he's mending a broken heart" Kate explained as the medical student nodded slowly, taking everything that Kate was saying. "Next weekend you should come up and meet him! I'm going to set the two of you up on a blind date at a local restaurant" Kate laughed as Lanie rolled her eyes quickly before wondering, what's the worst thing that could happen?

"So does this guy that you're setting me up with have a name Kate?" Lanie asked.

"His name is Javier Esposito and honestly if I wasn't happy with Rick, I would give him a go. He's a down to earth guy and honestly when asked looks or personality he said personality so he can't be that bad" Kate smiled in amusement as Lanie murmured in excitement.

"Sounds sexy, I'm in for this blind date idea" the medical student laughed as Kate beamed, excited about the upcoming weekend. "What's wrong with him though?" she asked quickly.

"Nothing that I can find at the moment, I promise he's not a psychopath Lanie. You should be fine to go on a date with him at least once" she muttered before relaxing back, beaming about the idea of setting her two friends up.

XOXOOXXOXOOOXOXO

"So you've gone to police academy to train to be a cop and instead you're settling Lanie up with the first guy you've met there" Rick laughed as Kate nodded quickly and smiled down the phone, not knowing what else to do. "What did you do today?" he asked quickly as she sighed and relaxed, her eyes shutting for a moment.

"We just met other people today; proper training starts tomorrow although I have been spending some time reading one of the books today. I've got fitness first thing in the morning though. Also Javier and I went out for pizza for dinner and that's where we got talking about Lanie. Well at least that's where I got the idea from" Kate admitted as Rick nodded slowly.

"So you've been spending a lot of time with Javier today?" Rick asked quickly as Kate shut her eyes for a moment before opening them and looking at her ring.

"Are you jealous of Javier Rick because there's nothing there Rick?" she smiled before sighing. "I love you Rick, he knows that we're in a serious relationship and anyway I'm setting him up with Lanie because they're going to be an amazing couple" Kate explained as he sighed, knowing that she was right.

"I'm not jealous of Javier, I just miss you Katie and I don't like the fact that you're around all these strange men. It feels like forever since I last saw you and it's actually only been a couple of days" he admitted as she relaxed on the bed and smiled. "It's just strange going to bed and not having your partner cuddled up beside you like you do most nights, I feel rather lonely" Rick explained as Kate smiled and relaxed. "I actually let Alexis sleep in my room last night so the bed wasn't as empty".

"I miss you too writer man, this bed is really cold without you cuddling up with me" the brunette admitted as she stared across at her photo album and the picture of her and Alexis that was beaming at her. "Where's Lex? It's story time" she smiled as the writer laughed and quickly called his daughter's name, knowing that she'd been waiting for Kate to call since the moment she woke up.

"Here you go" Rick smiled when his daughter ran over and jumped onto his lap while clinging onto the book that Kate and her had decided to read. "Love you Kate" he admitted quickly.

"I love you too writer man now put your daughter on the phone, we have a book to read" she smiled, laughing when the writer moaned for a moment before putting Alexis on the line. "Hey sweetheart" Kate declared as her smile grew.

"Hey Katie, I miss you" the redhead immediately announced as Kate nodded slowly, missing the girl even more than before. "Are you going to read the first chapter to me?" she asked.

"Of course I am" Kate smiled as she opened her copy of the book. "Are you sitting comfortably Lex?" the brunette asked quickly.

"Yes! I'm sat on daddy" she laughed as Kate smiled and nodded before relaxing back against the headboard.

"Chapter One, Lucy looks into the wardrobe" Kate began.

**This is not my favourite chapter but I wanted to get something up because I haven't updated and I apologise but I had an operation yesterday and honestly, I feel like someone has run over me a million times! Next chapter will be full of Caskett and also the Lanie/Esposito date if you want that to be a part of the chapter! **

**Disclaimer: The book mentioned at the end is the genius of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe!**

**Also I'm sorry it's so short but hopefully I'll be feeling better when I next update so it'll be longer!**


	64. Chapter 64

Hearing a knock at her bedroom door, the brunette turned before sighing and approaching the door, guessing that it would be Esposito wanting last minute dating advice. Opening it slowly, the brunette squealed at the sight of the writer who was standing in the doorway holding a single red rose in his left hand. Wrapping her arms around his neck quickly, Kate smiled as she buried her head into his shoulder for a moment, enjoying the familiar warmth of his arms around her again. She hadn't realised just how much she missed him until he was holding her again.

"Happy anniversary" he whispered, laughing when she squealed again before he silenced her by kissing her gently. "One whole year beautiful, one whole year" he admitted as she nodded and quickly hugged him. "Don't squash the rose" he laughed, watching as Kate moved away before finding a glass in her room and filling it with water before she placed the rose in it. "Now beautiful, pack a bag for the night and change into something sexy" he ordered as she laughed gently and nodded before starting to collect some of her things. Hearing a knock at the door, Kate sighed as she walked towards it before opening it to find Esposito staring at her.

"Javier come in, I want you to meet my partner Rick" Kate explained, watching as the writer walked out of the en-suite with the largest smile covering her face. "Rick this is my friend Javier, Javier this is my boyfriend Rick" she introduced as the two men nodded at each other before shaking hands.

"I've heard a lot about you" Javier stated as Rick nodded and smiled at Kate who was throwing clothes into a bag again.

"I've heard a lot about you too" Rick explained as the other man nodded again. "So you're letting Kate set you up with her friend?" he asked as Esposito nodded and laughed at the idea. "Don't worry I've met the woman in question and she's amazing, there's nothing to worry about".

"Really? Kate's not setting me up with some weird woman?" he asked as Rick shook his head, thinking about whether Lanie wanting to spend her future around dead bodies made her weird or not.

"Well, you'll have to decide that for yourself Javier" Rick commented as he wrapped his arm around Kate's hips and smiled down at her. "You ready beautiful?" he asked quickly.

"Yes" she whispered, looking across at Esposito quickly. "Remember eight thirty at the pizza place, she'll be wearing a yellow dress and you have to wear a black jacket" she ordered as he nodded quickly and laughed.

"Yes Kate, now go" he laughed. "And happy anniversary" he smiled.

"Thank you" the couple laughed as Rick carried her bag out of the room while his arm remained around her hips tightly, not wanting to let her go away for even a moment.

"Ready to go and be spoilt Miss Beckett?" he asked.

"As long as it means I can be with you then yes" she responded, leaning up to kiss him gently before laughing.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Can I open my eyes yet?" Kate asked as the writer led her into the hotel room and smiled at the sight around them. "Rick" she moaned, wanting to see what was around her as well. She knew he was spoiling her like he did all the time especially when it was a special event like their first anniversary. "Rick I want to see" she declared as the writer laughed and quickly stared at her in amazement before resting a hand on the small of her back.

"Open your eyes beautiful" he whispered, watching as her eyes opened to reveal the hotel room around her. Staring at the room, Kate felt the shock cover her face as she looked across at the large bed that took up the most of the room that was decorated with deep red rose petals. "Happy anniversary" Rick smiled as she turned to face him, still in shock.

"This is fantastic" she admitted before kissing him in amazement. "We made it Rick, a whole year" she laughed, squealing when he lifted her into his arms and spun her around for a moment. "I love you".

"I love you too" he smiled before kissing her gently. "And tonight we're having dinner in our room and I'm going to give you a massage and I'm going to spoil you and later we're going to make love" he stated as she nodded before kissing him again. "Now why don't you go and run a bath and I'll come and join you" he smiled as she nodded and slipped out of his arms before walking towards the en-suite.

XOOXOXXOXOXOXO

Entering the restaurant, Javier felt himself immediately scanning the room as his smile grew when he noticed a woman sat at the back of the restaurant in a bright yellow dress with her dark hair perfectly straight. Walking over, he gently rested his hand on her shoulder as she turned to look at him with a large smile covering her face.

"Javier Esposito?" she asked as he nodded and sat down opposite her.

"How come you know my name and yet Kate refused to tell me yours?" Javier laughed as Lanie shrugged, staring at him in amazement. "So do you have a name or can I just call you beautiful?" he asked, not surprised when she burst out laughing. "That was terrible; I don't know why I even just said that" he admitted.

"That was really bad" she stated before they both fell silent. "I'm Lanie Parish" she admitted as he nodded. "So a blind date? Have you ever done one before?" she asked as his head immediately shook. "Neither have I but I wanted to give it a try and Kate was so positive about you" she admitted.

"Well she just said you linked to everything I wanted in a woman" he explained as shock covered Lanie's face. Hearing footsteps approaching them, Esposito smiled as he looked down at the menu. "Do you want to order?" he asked.

"Want to share a pizza?" she asked.

"I would love to share a pizza, what flavours do you like?" he commented as she shrugged.

"I like everything" she smirked as Esposito nodded and turned to look at the waitress who was now standing beside him. Quickly ordering two types of pizza, Javier smiled as the dark haired woman opposite him ordered a glass of water before he did the same. "So Javier, Kate told me that you were in the Special Forces" she admitted.

"Yeah and then I decided I wanted to come back to New York and try to become a cop" he explained as she nodded. "What about you? What are you doing with your life?"

"I'm at college studying medicine. I want to be a pathologist" she stated as shock covered his face. "What's with the face?" she asked in amazement.

"Pathologist? You want to cut dead people open?" he asked as she nodded. "Maybe we'll be working together one day" he suggested as she laughed at the idea.

"You want to work homicide?" she asked as he shrugged, knowing he hadn't decided yet.

"I'll try anything that comes my way, I like a challenge" he explained as she nodded slowly, glad that she'd let Kate talk her into this.

XOXOXOXOXOXO

"You've lost weight" Rick commented as Kate lay back on him in the bath while his hands ran up and down her sides for a moment. "You're eating enough aren't you?" he asked as she nodded slowly before relaxing back and shutting her eyes. "Alexis missed you like crazy" he commented.

"I miss her" she whispered as Rick's hands rested on her stomach. "I miss both of you, I go through my photo album every night and laugh at all the pictures" she explained as he nodded before pressing a kiss into her dark hair, enjoying the familiar scent of cherries that always came from her body. "Is Alexis coming here tomorrow with my dad?" she asked.

"That's the plan" he admitted. "I had to come up tonight though because today is the most important date in our calendar" he explained as she laughed, still shocked by the fact that it had been a whole year. "How do you think things are going with Lanie and Javier?" he asked quickly, his mind going to the man he'd only met earlier that day.

"I don't know. I've never set anyone up on a blind date before but they're perfect for each other" she laughed as he nodded, her head turning to kiss him gently. "What do you think is going to happen over our next year?" she asked.

"My girlfriend will become Officer Beckett which sounds so unbelievably sexy, she'll move into the loft and make me a very happy man" he explained as she nodded. "I'll write another book and make loads more money and we'll just continue to love life" he admitted as she smiled and sighed, enjoying the sound of their future together.

"I'm moving into the loft" she laughed as he nodded gently.

"You're moving in Kate and I won't be letting you go again" he announced before sighing when a knock at the door interrupted them. "You relax, that'll be dinner" he explained as she sat forward and let him slip out of the bath, her eyes following him as he pulled a towel around his body. "Stop watching me you pervert" he laughed.

"Not my fault that my boyfriend is super sexy" she commented as he stuck his tongue out before pulling a robe over his body and leaving the room. Relaxing back, Kate laughed before she quickly let another squeal leave her lips. She was celebrating her first anniversary with Richard Castle! They'd made it to a year!

XXOOOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Yeah so the dancing dreams ended the moment I realised how big these were going to be. One rule the dance world must obey is boobs must not be over a certain size and mine are defiantly over that size" she stated as she pointed at her breasts before they both laughed at her comment.

"Well I must say dancers have no physical appeal to me. I like real women" he smiled, his eyes looking down at her breasts quickly before she cleared her throat, forcing him to look up at her again. "So you went from dancing to dead people?" he asked.

"Girls got to find a passion" she commented, breaming when the two pizzas they'd ordered were brought over to them.

"But that's a strange change, dead people I mean" he explained as she shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

"So? Someone needs to cut them open…" she smiled before staring down at the cheese covered pizza. "I must sound like the biggest freak right now".

"Not really" he smiled, watching as she too a slice and laughed at the amount of cheese that came with it. "One thing I must say about this place, they know how to do a decent cheese pizza here".

"I know! A pizza needs a proper amount of cheese to be a decent pizza" she explained as he nodded in agreement, glad that Kate had arranged this date!

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Watching as she lay on her stomach in the middle of the bed in silence, the writer smiled as he walked over to her before gently pulling the robe down her body to reveal her bare back while his smile continued to grow at the sight of naked skin.

"What are you doing Mr Castle?" she asked gently, not fighting him.

"Giving my sexy girlfriend a well-deserved massage because she's obviously very tense at the moment" he admitted as he reached across for some cream before gently rubbing into her back as she moaned gently. "So tell me everything you've done" he whispered as she smiled and tried to think of what she'd done in the past week that he'd find interesting.

"Lots of running, lots of reading, lots of work" she explained before sighing. "Tell me about New York and Alexis. What have you two been doing?" she asked.

"Redecorating actually, your dad is helping too, he offered the moment Alexis mentioned it. We've been having a lot of fun together these past few days" he explained as she continued to relax, enjoying the feeling of his hands applying well need pressure onto her body and relaxing her. "And Alexis has decided that she wants to learn the violin" he admitted.

"The violin? That's impressive and very difficult, it also sounds terrible when you don't learn how to play it properly" she mumbled, groaning when he began to massage her lower back.

"What instruments did you learn then Kate? I know there's something you've learnt that you haven't told me" he smiled as she laughed gently.

"I did guitar and singing lessons, I stopped doing them a couple of years ago" she explained as shock covered his face at the fact he'd just learnt about her.

"And you're just telling me this now Kate?" he asked in amazement.

"I have to keep you interested in me somehow Rick so I have to keep some secrets" she muttered before falling silent, allowing herself to just enjoy the feeling of his hands massaging her back like she needed.

XOOXOXOXOXXOXO

"So did you enjoy yourself tonight Lanie?" Javier asked as he walked down the street with the dark haired woman who was walking silently beside him.

"I did actually; I'm quite surprised because I was actually really nervous about this before you arrived but I really enjoyed myself tonight" she explained, amusement covering his face as he took in what she was saying. Did that mean that she wanted to see him again? "So…?" she began, falling silent for a moment as he nodded.

"So…?" he whispered before sighing, not knowing how to ask her for another date. "Are you staying in the area tonight or are you going back home?" he asked.

"I've booked a hotel room for the night in town because Rick drove me here before he went to spoil Kate" she admitted as he nodded, thinking about the couple that had started everything tonight.

"Maybe I could see you tomorrow Lanie?" he suggested as she smiled and nodded, enjoying the sound of seeing him again.

"I'd like that" she admitted. "I'd really like that Javier".

"Maybe I could walk you to your hotel Lanie to make sure that you get home safely?" he suggested as she nodded and allowed her arm to wrap around his quickly before they slowly walked down the street together in a comfortable silence.

XOOXOXOXOXOX

"That was amazing" Kate laughed as she collapsed back on the bed and sighed, enjoying the warmth his body supplied when he quickly wrapped an arm around her and brought her closer to his body. "I can't believe we made it to a year Rick" she admitted in amusement as the writer nodded before moving closer to her and quickly kissing her, enjoying having her back in his arms again. Leaning across for the phone, Kate smiled as she quickly dialled the number before reaching across for the book.

"Hello" Alexis smiled down the phone.

"Hey little one" the brunette declared as Rick smiled at her in amazement, loving to watch the way she was with his daughter whether on the phone or with her properly. "So do you want to read the next chapter sweetheart? We're almost finished and then we can move onto the next book" she explained as Alexis laughed.

"Yes Katie, we're nearly finished" the redhead beamed in excitement. "Is daddy with you?" she asked.

"Daddy is with me sweetheart, we're cuddling in bed right now and looking forward to reading the book with you tonight" Kate explained as she looked across at the writer who was moving closer to her, his arms wrapping around her body quickly. "What are you doing right now sweetheart?" the brunette asked.

"Cuddling on the sofa with grams and your dad" she admitted.

"My dad's there?" Kate asked as Alexis murmured in agreement. "So what chapter were we one? Thirteen or fourteen?" she asked.

"Fourteen Katie, we were on chapter fourteen" the redhead laughed as Kate nodded and opened the book as Rick sat up beside her and wrapped an arm around her while she cuddled into his side.

"Okay, Chapter Fourteen, The Triumph of the Witch" Kate declared.

**What do you think? I'm extremely doped up on pain relief tonight so it's a miracle if this even makes sense!** **I hope you enjoy it and review, your response to the last chapter was amazing! I loved reading every review and it made me feel slightly better! **


	65. Chapter 65

Feeling the pillow smack into his chest, the writer smiled as he opened his eyes to see Kate staring at him in amazement as he laughed gently and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to him quickly as she giggled against his lips and gently kissed him while his hands tightened around her back, not wanting to let her go.

"I promised Alexis we'd go to the theme park today. The one around an hour away" Rick admitted as Kate nodded before staring down at him, her smile growing as she moved and cuddled into his side. "She can't wait to see you again, she's so excited" he explained as he tightened his arms around her and pressed a kiss into her dark hair. "We should get ready, they'll be here in an hour and we're not dressed suitably for a six year old or our parents" he admitted as she groaned and wrapped her arms around him, not wanting to let him go.

"I don't want to get out of bed Rick, I want to stay here" she muttered as he laughed and gently pressed a kiss into her dark hair. Holding her close for a moment, the writer sighed before he began to move out of her arms, smiling when she began to moan again. Sitting up as Rick began to pull his clothes on, the brunette sighed as she wrapped the blanket around herself before relaxing back as he pulled the batman t-shirt on over his head. "So the theme park?" she asked.

"Excited?" he asked as she laughed and nodded slowly, watching as he walked over and quickly kissed her. "Your dad is coming as well and so is my mother and I thought if you really wanted too we could invite Lanie and Javier" he explained as Kate nodded and slid off the bed, holding the blanket around herself as he laughed and wrapped his arms around her hips quickly. "Why do you still hide under blankets?" he asked.

"Because it feels weird wondering around naked" she admitted, laughing when he turned her in his arms and moved his fingers to where her hand was keeping the sheet together. "Rick" she warned.

"I don't understand, you're so unbelievably beautiful and extremely sexy and you really don't have to hide this sexy body from me" he explained as his hands moved to hers and gently removed her fingers from away the sheet, laughing when it dropped to the floor. "There's my sexy girlfriend" he smiled as she rolled her eyes and quickly kissed him. "Hello beautiful" he whispered, kneeling quickly to press a kiss to her stomach.

"Rick stop it, I need to get dressed. I'm not suitably dressed for a six year old and our parents" she laughed as she ran her fingers through his hair before moving away and grabbing her bag from the table it was resting on. "I love you writer man" Kate smiled as she stared at him from the en-suite doorway.

"I love you too" he laughed, watching as she moved behind the door and smiled, glad that she had Richard Castle in her life.

XOXOOXOXOXOXXOXO

"Katie" Alexis screamed as she ran through the lobby and into the arms of the brunette who had just walked out of the elevator. Wrapping her arms tightly around the six year old, Kate smiled as she remained silent for a moment, not wanting to let Alexis go again. "I missed you so much Katie, I don't like you not being at home with us and daddy doesn't like it either. He misses you so much Katie, it's not fair that you have to go away to train to be a cop. Why can't you stay home with us?" she admitted as she buried her head into Kate's shoulder and remained silent for a moment.

"I miss you both so much sweetheart" Kate whispered as she moved away from the redhead slowly. "But we're going to the theme park today and we're going to have lots of fun together" the brunette admitted before looking across to see her father and Martha walking towards them. "Daddy" Kate smiled, walking over to her father quickly before wrapping her arms around him and smiling. "Hello Martha" the brunette commented as she looked at the redhead who was standing beside Jim Beckett smiling at the teenager. "Has anyone seen Lanie?" Kate asked.

"I'm here" a voice stated behind them as everyone turned to see Lanie standing behind them. "What are we doing today and can I bring Javier?" she asked as Kate beamed at the mention of her friend.

"So I guess date night went well" Kate smiled as Rick wrapped an arm around her hips proudly, knowing that she'd done something right.

"Date night went very well thank you Kate, we had a lot of fun" Lanie announced, beaming when Esposito entered the hotel lobby and approached her. "We're going out, do you want to come with us?" the medical student asked as Esposito nodded slowly and smiled across at Kate and Rick, the only other people he recognised in the group.

"Oh introductions" Kate smiled. "Javier Esposito, this is my father Jim and Rick's mom Martha" she admitted before smiling down at the redhead who was stood silently in front of her. "And this is Alexis, Rick's daughter" the brunette introduced as Javier smiled and quickly shook Jim's hair before relaxing.

"It's nice to meet you" Javier smiled as everyone nodded at him.

"So you're the Javier that Kate keeps mentioning" Martha admitted as Javier nodded slowly, smiling across at Lanie who was watching him in amazement. "So shall we get going? If we go early there won't be as many queues" the older redhead asked as Rick nodded and smiled at Kate and Alexis before leading them out of the hotel. "So how was the anniversary?" Martha asked as the brunette as Kate smiled and nodded gently, helping the younger redhead into the car.

"It was amazing, it was nice to just have a relaxing evening with Rick alone" Kate admitted before looking across to see Rick laughing with Jim and Javier. Slipping into the car, Kate smiled as she looked across at the writer who quickly took hold of her hand for a moment. "Thank you for last night, it was amazing" the brunette admitted before leaning across and kissing him gently as Alexis groaned in the back of the car.

"Still yucky" Alexis commented as Kate smiled and nodded, relaxing back in her seat as Rick began to drive away.

XOOXOXOXOXXOXO

"Water ride, water ride, water ride. Can we go on the water ride?" Alexis smiled as Kate nodded and continued to hold onto Alexis' hand as the writer laughed in amusement. "I like water rides Katie, they're my favourite" the redhead admitted as Kate nodded, turning her head to see Esposito and Lanie laughing behind her while Jim and Martha talked amongst themselves.

"I like the water rides too, they're my favourite as well" Kate explained, leading the redhead into the queue as Rick nodded and quickly joined them, his arms wrapping around the brunette as she smiled gently. "Was I right or was I right?" she asked as confusion covered his face, his eyes following hers as she looked across at Lanie and Javier who were standing closer than before in the queue and laughing.

"You were right like always Kate" he whispered, kissing her gently as Alexis groaned and shook her head. "So Javier, Lanie how was your date night last night? Kate and I want to know everything" he asked, turning around to face the couple as their group fell silent, wanting to hear everything that the new couple had to say.

"It was nice" Lanie smiled before looking at Esposito whose eyebrows had risen at the comment the medical student had made. "Okay, it was a great evening. We had a fun time" she smiled before moving further forward in the queue. "Ah look, our turn" she declared, laughing when Alexis ran over to climb into the ride with Kate and Rick, Esposito and Lanie slipping into the carriage after them alone with Jim and Martha. Staring down at Alexis who was squeezed in between her and Rick, Kate relaxed as the ride began to go forward.

"My mother is going to be furious when her hair gets wet on this ride" Rick commented as Kate laughed gently and smiled when the ride began to go down fast. Hearing Rick scream, Kate smiled at how much like a girl the writer sounded like before she felt the water splash onto her and the scream of Martha Rodgers fill the air.

"You scream like a girl" Kate laughed as the writer glared across at her while Alexis laughed between them. "You actually scream like a girl" she smiled.

"Go away Kate" he warned.

"Richard" Martha practically screamed from behind them.

"Logic mother logic" the writer declared, turning around to see his mother staring at him soaking wet. "It's a water ride, you're going to get wet" he smiled as she glared at him while Kate quickly bit into her bottom lip to stop herself from laughing at the interaction between mother and son. "Don't worry mother we still have one turn left" he laughed.

"What? We're going around a second time?" she asked as the writer nodded and looked forward as they started going up again while Alexis giggled between him and Kate.

"Is gram being silly?" Rick asked.

"Very" Alexis smiled, squealing when the ride began to go down again before laughing when a greater wave of water hit them. "That was fun" Alexis laughed, looking across to see that everyone was soaking wet around her. "Katie, you're all wet" the redhead smiled as Kate nodded, running her fingers through her drenched hair as the ride stopped and they climbed out, Rick's arms wrapping around the brunette quickly.

"I bet you're happy you're not wearing that white shirt anymore" the writer whispered as she laughed.

"You'd love it if I was though wouldn't you?" she asked as he winked before entwining his fingers with her, leading both Kate and Alexis away from the ride while Lanie and Esposito followed silently, now holding onto each other's hands before they relaxed. Following slowly, Martha groaned as she ran her fingers through her hair and looked across to see Jim Beckett smirking at her.

"It's not funny Jim" the redhead commented.

"It is slightly funny Martha" he smiled as she rolled her eyes at his comment before laughing, finally seeing the funny side of the whole situation.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"So you like him Lanie?" Kate asked as she sat at a table with Alexis and Lanie while everyone else was choosing food. "Come on Lanie, you have to tell me these things if I want to have a future in match making because I need a good success story" the brunette moaned as the medical student laughed before shaking her head in amusement.

"It was a good night and I'd defiantly do it again and yes I like him Kate" Lanie admitted as Kate's smile grew. "How couldn't I? Look at him, he's hot and funny" she smirked, making both of them laugh while Alexis stared up at them in confusion.

"How do you like someone because they're hot?" Alexis asked as Kate smiled and wrapped an arm around the little girl before pressing a kiss into Alexis' hair. "Don't you like people if they're cold?" she questioned, making both Lanie and Kate's smiles grow.

"Lex when someone thinks someone else is good looking like they're beautiful or handsome, they sometimes call them hot" Kate explained as Alexis stared at her in confusion.

"Do you think my daddy is hot Katie?" the redhead asked as the brunette nodded quickly, smiling when the writer walked over and pressed a kiss into her hair. "Daddy, Katie thinks you're hot" Alexis blurted out as the writer grinned, looking down to see embarrassment covering the brunette's face.

"Well Alexis you can tell Katie that I think she's hot too" the writer admitted as he sat down beside his girlfriend and felt her cuddle up against him, her head burying into his shoulder slightly as everyone joined them. "So Javier, would you go out on another date with our lovely Lanie?" the writer asked quickly as everyone stared at the new couple, desperately waiting to hear the answer.

"I would defiantly go out with Lanie again, depends on whether she can put up with another evening with me" he smirked as Lanie nodded slowly, watching as the man's smile grew. "So you would like to go out again?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'd like that" Lanie admitted as everyone smiled. "Now I'm starving, please tell me you got something decent" she announced before looking at the fries he'd chosen. "Yes fries, thank you" she cheered, watching as everyone laughed at them before eating the food they'd chosen.

"So what is the academy like?" Jim asked as he looked across from his daughter to the man who was smiling beside Lanie.

"Strict" Javier laughed as Kate nodded quickly, not knowing how to describe it. "It was fun watching Kate do track the first time" he stated, earning a glare from the brunette who quickly kicked him under the table. "What was that for?" he asked.

"For being horrid" she smiled as everyone laughed. "No the academy's okay, it would be better if I didn't miss my crazy family so much" she admitted, tightening her arms around the younger redhead who was now buried against her. "We're having fun aren't we sweetheart?" Kate asked quickly as she looked down at the small girl who she was still cuddling.

"We're still leaving you at the end though Katie" Alexis whispered.

"I know sweetheart, I know".

XOXOXOXOXOXXOXO

"Do you mind if I sit in the back Rick?" she asked as the writer shook his head and turned to look at his daughter who was curled up in the back of the vehicle in silence, her face covered by the hood of her jacket. Slipping into the back of the car, the brunette sighed as she shut her eyes for a moment before brushing her fingers across Alexis' shoulder, hating that the little girl was upset again. "Do you know what makes me sad?" Kate asked as the redhead remained silent. "Seeing my favourite redhead upset makes me really sad" the brunette admitted as Alexis moved to face her.

"But you're leaving Katie, I don't want you to leave us Katie. I don't like you not being with us at home" Alexis explained as Kate shut her eyes, wondering whether this was going to happen every time Alexis came to visit her.

"Pumpkin we've talked about this" Rick muttered from the front of the car, knowing that whatever Alexis was saying was upsetting Kate. "Katie's not at home because she's got to train to become a cop and we have to be supportive of her" the writer explained before he focused on driving again, knowing that Kate would say something that would cheer his daughter up again.

"Lex, you know that if I could do this and come home every night I would but I can't sweetheart, even if I want too" the brunette insisted as Alexis stared at her, tears filling her eyes as the brunette watched her for a moment. "But we've had fun this week haven't we? Reading the book and everything" Kate muttered as Alexis nodded slowly, not knowing what to say. "I thought we were doing okay sweetheart".

"Can't I stay with you Katie?" Alexis asked as the brunette shook her head. "I'll be good I promise".

"Alexis sweetheart you can't stay with me" Kate whispered. "I'm working five days a week and you have school and you need to stay with your dad" the brunette explained as Alexis turned away again. "Rick" Kate moaned, not knowing what else to do.

"Alexis" Rick warned as Kate shut her eyes, hating herself more than ever.

XOXOXOOOXOXO 

"Lex are you going to say goodbye to Katie?" Rick asked as they stood outside the academy, shock covering the writer's face as his daughter turned away so she wasn't facing the brunette. "Okay, get in the car" Rick muttered, watching as Alexis slipped into the vehicle before Rick wrapped his arms around the brunette.

"I didn't mean to upset her, I just didn't know what to do" Kate whispered as he held her close, knowing that she was upset about the fact that Alexis wasn't talking to either of them. "She hates me doesn't she?" the brunette asked as tears ran down her cheeks.

"She's just angry about saying goodbye again, she hates not being with you Kate and we all knew this would be hard sweetheart" he promised, kissing her gently as she remained close to him. "Just go and say goodbye to her sweetheart" Rick declared as she nodded slowly and walked towards the car before opening the door and kneeling beside the vehicle.

"Hey sweetheart" Kate whispered, staring at the redhead who was staring at the front of the vehicle. "I know you don't like me right now Alexis but I love you sweetheart, nothing is going to stop that and I'm going to love you no matter where we are" she explained before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to the redhead's cheek. "I'll call you later and we can read the next few chapters if you want" she explained before slipping out of the car, watching as tears ran down Alexis' cheeks. "Call me when you get home" the brunette whispered as Rick nodded and kissed her gently.

"I'll see you in two weeks" he declared, her head nodding slowly before she moved away from him slightly. "I love you" he smiled.

"I love you too" Kate whispered before leaning forward and kissing him again. "I've got to go" she stated, looking across to see that Javier was watching her in silence. "I love you so much" the brunette admitted as he nodded and smiled, watching as she looked across at Alexis who had been looking at her for a moment before turning away. "Tell Alexis that I love her and I'll talk to her later".

"She does still love you Kate, she's just upset, you know how much she hates saying goodbye to you" the writer admitted as she nodded and watched as he walked towards his side of the car and slid inside the vehicle. Watching as the car drove away, Kate sighed as she shut her eyes for a moment as Javier walked over to her, slightly nervous to see her so upset.

"Do you want to go and get something to eat?" he suggested, attempting to start some form of a conversation with her.

"Thanks for the offer but I'm just going to go to bed, I'm not feeling too good" Kate explained as he nodded slowly, watching as she disappeared into the building.

**What do you think? I know Alexis seems really out of character but my brain wanted her to be upset. Also the Esplanie relationship will be developed in future chapters I promise. **


	66. Chapter 66

Entering his daughter's bedroom, the writer sighed as he found Alexis curled up in bed with a collection of photographs covering her bed. He'd often found Alexis going through their collection of photos when she upset and usually it meant she became more upset when she focused on images of Meredith. Looking at the photos, Rick sighed as he realised that Meredith wasn't in any of the photographs but instead Kate was beaming up at him from the pictures.

"You don't need to be angry at her sweetheart, Kate's going to come home at the end of this, remember she's moving in with us so this doesn't mean that she's leaving" he smiled as he sat down on the edge of his daughter's bed and watched as she turned and continued to play with the ring that was around her neck. "She's really upset that you didn't want her to read to you tonight, you made her cry pumpkin" Rick admitted, remembering hearing Kate's voice break as he admitted that his daughter didn't want her to read to her. "Any chance that you can move over so your old man can come and join you?" he asked, smiling when Alexis nodded slowly and moved over in her bed before Rick wrapped his arms around her. "I think you should call Kate sweetheart".

"No daddy" Alexis stated.

"I know that you're scared that Kate's not going to come back home but she is. She's moving in with us sweetheart, this is her home now" he explained as he pressed a kiss into her hair before relaxing back. "Katie misses you too Alexis and she loves reading to you, she waits all day to read to you and when you tell her that you don't want her to read to you she gets really sad" the writer declared as Alexis buried her head into her father's side.

"I didn't want to make Katie sad" Alexis admitted as she began to sob. "I just want her to come home daddy" the redhead explained as Rick nodded, knowing exactly how his daughter felt. "Can I call Katie daddy?" the redhead asked as Rick nodded and watched as she climbed out of bed. Walking out of the room with his daughter, Rick smiled as they entered his bedroom and jumped onto the bed before Rick dialled Kate's number and watched as Alexis clung onto the phone in desperation.

"Hello" Kate muttered.

"Katie?" Alexis asked, tears filling her eyes. "Katie I'm sorry for making you sad" Alexis blurted out.

"Oh sweetheart, it's fine. You don't need to worry about that" the brunette explained as she sat up in bed, glad that the redhead had called her. She'd been terrified when Alexis had told her that she didn't want her to read to her that night because she believed it meant she'd screwed up completely.

"Katie can we read our next chapter? I really want to know what happens next" the redhead asked as Kate smiled, nodding to herself as she reached across for the book they were reading.

"Of course we can sweetheart" Kate smiled, finding the page in her book while Rick dug around for their copy. Finding the page, Rick smiled as Alexis cuddled up beside him and stared down at the book. "Wow, we're on the last chapter sweetheart. I can't believe it's almost over" the brunette admitted as Alexis groaned, making both adults laugh as Kate sighed. "Chapter seventeen, the hunting of the white stag" Kate read as everyone relaxed back, falling into the familiar pattern of their evenings. Finishing the book moments later, Kate smiled as she shut the copy and listened to the sound of Alexis breathing down the line. "Did you enjoy the book sweetheart?" the brunette asked.

"It was a good book Katie, thank you for reading it to me" Alexis muttered before yawning, the writer smiling at her as she began to fall asleep in his arms. "I have to go to bed now Katie, I'm sleepy" the redhead admitted as Kate nodded. "I love you Katie, I'm sorry I made you sad" Alexis admitted.

"It's okay sweetheart and I love you too Lex, I love you so much. Now put your daddy on the phone and go and get asleep, you're exhausted pumpkin" Kate laughed as Alexis made a small murmur before the sound of movement filled the line. "Hello" the brunette smiled as she waited for Rick to respond.

"Is this the sexiest woman on the planet?" Rick asked as she laughed gently. "Hey Katie" the writer smiled.

"Hey writer man" she laughed. "Thank you for getting her to call me Rick, I missed her and I really wanted to finish the book with her" the brunette smiled as the writer nodded slowly, knowing how desperate Kate had been for the redhead to talk to her. "So what are your plans for tonight beautiful?" she asked gently as she relaxed back on the bed.

"I'm just going to work tonight so when you come back home Gina isn't kicking me up the ass for chapters" he admitted as she nodded gently and relaxed. "What about you? Are you all locked up in your room?" he asked as she rolled her eyes.

"I'm not locked up anywhere Rick, I'm not in jail" she laughed before sighing. "I am in my room now though, I wanted to make sure that I was here in case my favourite redhead decided to call me" she admitted before sighing. "She does still love me doesn't she?" the brunette asked as Rick laughed gently at her comment, surprised by how nervous she sounded.

"Of course she still loves you Katherine, you're her Katie and she adores you more than anything in the whole world" he declared as she nodded, staring across at her photo album in amazement. "You need to get some sleep, it's late and you have an early start in the morning" he stated as she groaned, not wanting to end their conversation.

"I don't want to stop talking to you Rick" she muttered as he laughed gently. "I love you writer man, I love you so much" she admitted.

"I know you do and I love you too so get some sleep and I'll talk to you tomorrow night when we start reading to Alexis" the writer admitted as she nodded slowly. Whispering goodnight, Kate sighed as she quickly hung up the phone and put it down before relaxing. She had to get used to it! She had to get used to being away from her family.

XOXOOXOXXOXOXOXO

"So she's talking to you again?" Esposito asked as Kate nodded, her smile growing as she pulled her hair back into a ponytail as they walked down the corridor together. "That's good" he admitted as she nodded, the two of them falling silent when they heard the familiar voices of a large group of men that were constantly around.

"You know that girl, what's her name?" one of the men asked as Kate and Javier stopped, guessing that they were talking about Kate. Javier hadn't told her but he'd found the group of them discussing the brunette in ways he didn't like. He'd grown protective of the brunette in the week that he'd known her and he didn't appreciate the way Tom Demming and his friends were discussing her.

"What? The Beckett girl?" another guy asked as the sound of agreement filled the corridor as Kate turned to look at the man who was stood beside her.

"That's the one" the earlier guy commented. "Now that's someone to look out for".

"I don't know about her becoming a cop but she's nice to watch" the familiar voice of Tom Demming declared. "Especially when she's attempting to climb the wall" he laughed as everyone murmured in agreement while Kate stared down at her feet, embarrassed that people were talking about her. "I mean she's so slow that you get a nice view when she's wearing those tight pants" he commented as everyone laughed again.

"Kate" Javier whispered as the smile disappeared from her face.

"I don't fancy breakfast anymore, I'll see you later at training later" she admitted as she began to walk towards her room again while desperately trying to control her emotions. Entering her room, the brunette felt the tears run down her cheeks before she shook her head and shut her eyes, knowing that she was being stupid. "Stop it Kate" she hissed at herself before sitting down and reaching for the phone. Dialling Rick's number, the brunette sighed as she lay down on the bed and waited for the writer to answer the phone.

"Hello" a woman answered as shock covered Kate's face.

"Who's this?" Kate asked quickly, the concern in her voice mixing with the anger and frustration that was now building up.

"Gina Cowell, who can I say is calling?" the blonde asked as Kate shut her eyes.

"It's Kate, can I talk to Rick please?" the brunette asked quickly as she heard the blonde murmur something before laughing.

"I'm sorry, Richard's a bit tied up at the moment but I'm sure he'll call you back later when he's less occupied" Gina declared before putting the phone down without giving Kate time to speak, shock covering the brunette's face before she looked around the room, frustrated that she couldn't deal with a couple of comments made by some men in the corridor when they believed she wasn't around.

XOXOOXOXOXOXO

"Hi its Kate isn't it?" a voice asked behind her as she turned to see Tom Demming standing behind her beaming. "Tom Demming" he introduced, holding his hand out for her to shake but instead getting a glare before she turned around and continued to walk towards the course, wanting to get another session in before lunch. She knew they had the ability to use the course whenever they wanted and she wanted to prove to everyone that she wasn't someone they could just look at. "Excuse me but I'm talking to you" Tom announced as Kate continued to ignore him, not wanting to talk to the man who'd been commenting on her earlier.

"Look I'm not interested in you so leave me alone" Kate declared before running off, wanting to get away and start the course while she had the time. She didn't want to talk to Tom Demming or any of his stupid friends. Hearing someone chasing after her, Kate sighed as she turned to see the dark haired man staring at her. "What do you want?" she asked, her voice becoming more furious as she stared back at him.

"A drink? Just the two of us one evening?" he suggested as she laughed before walking towards the track. "Come on we could be great Kate" he declared, watching as she held her hand up to reveal the ring. "So there's a guy at home, he's not here though is he?" he smirked as she groaned before shaking her head. "What are you doing at the police academy anyway Kate? You're a pretty young woman, what made you think you could do this?" he asked as she shut her eyes, her back facing him as he smiled. "You're not supposed to be a cop Kate; you're just supposed to look pretty for someone and maybe have a career in something like teaching".

"You know nothing about me" Kate hissed before turning and walking back up towards the building, knowing that she wouldn't get any peace if she attempted to train. Running into the building, Kate sighed as she entered her room and slammed the door shut; desperately needing to talk to someone. Grabbing the phone, the brunette sighed as she pressed it to her ear before dialling the number and lying back on her bed.

"Hello" Lanie yawned as Kate shut her eyes. "If this is another prank call I'm literally going too…" the medical student began.

"Lanie?" Kate sobbed as the line fell silent.

"Kate? Are you okay? What's going on?" Lanie immediately asked; panic filling her mind as she listened to her friend sob for a moment. "Kate talk to me" the medical student announced, desperately needing to know that her friend was alright.

"Lanie what am I doing here?" Kate asked. "No one thinks I can do it here".

"What are you talking about girl? We all know that you can do it, Javier says you're great at everything you try" Lanie explained as a small smile covered Kate's face at the mention of the man. "So what's changed your mind?" the student asked as Kate buried her face into her pillow for a moment.

"I heard some people talking and this guy came up to me and started saying things and I really wanted to talk to Rick about it but Gina answered instead and hung up before I even had the chance to talk to Rick and I just really need to talk to Rick" she muttered as tears continued to run down her face.

"That bloody blonde bimbo" Lanie moaned, smiling when she heard Kate laugh gently. "Nothing is going on between Gina and Rick Kate, I promise. She probably went over to kick his ass and decided she had the right to answer the phone, you know what she's like" the medical student explained as Kate nodded slowly, desperately needing someone to tell her that. "Look I'll go over there and tell him that you want him to call" she promised.

"Thanks Lanie" Kate whispered as her friend smiled. "I've got to go, I have training this afternoon" she admitted, groaning at the idea of spending time with Tom Demming and his group of gossips.

"I'll talk to you later and don't let the bastards get to you. They don't know you Kate and one day they'll realise how wrong they were" Lanie smiled as Kate nodded.

"Thanks Lanie, I really needed to hear that" Kate admitted before they both said goodbye and put the phone down on each other. Hearing a knock at the door, Kate sighed as she climbed off her bed and slowly approached the door, opening it quickly to see Javier smiling at her with a look of worry covering his face. "Hi" she whispered.

"Hey" he smiled as she relaxed, knowing that she needed to calm down. "Look I was thinking that if you wanted to do some sparring sometimes, I'm quite happy to help you" he stated as Kate nodded and smiled at her friend, glad that there was someone she could talk too.

"I'd like that, thanks" she smiled as they began to walk down the corridor together.

XOXOXOOXOXXOXOXOXO

Hearing a knock at his apartment door, Rick groaned as he walked out of his office and towards the door, opening it quickly to find Lanie Parish standing in the doorway with her arms crossed across her chest. Allowing the woman to enter the loft, Rick watched as the medical student stood silently behind him, her eyes on his as the writer realised that he'd done something wrong.

"What have I done?" he asked.

"Gina Cowell" Lanie stated as he groaned. "I had Kate call me about half an hour ago sobbing" she explained as shock covered his face and then worry. Kate had been crying? What did that have to do with Gina and why was she crying? "Kate tried to call you earlier Rick and instead our favourite blonde bimbo answered the phone and hung up. Want to explain?" she asked, her eyebrows rising as the writer groaned.

"She let herself in this morning, started demanding that I get to work with the book seeing that my main distraction wasn't around" he admitted as Lanie nodded silently, still not impressed with the writer. "I didn't know Kate had called, I must have been in the shower when she called" he explained as Lanie nodded slowly. "What's wrong with Kate?" he asked quickly.

"I don't know. I think it was a mix of things" she admitted as the writer nodded. "She's also got it into her head that she can't do the training and that everyone thinks she's going to fail" Lanie explained as Rick nodded before reaching across the phone. "She's training at the moment, call later. All I know is that Kate is really desperate to talk to you, I don't think it helped the situation that she couldn't talk to you" she admitted as Rick sighed, hating himself for not being there when his girlfriend needed him.

"Thanks Lanie" Rick whispered as she nodded. "I guess I need to have a word with Gina about this" he announced, smiling when the medical student nodded her head enthusiastically at the statement. Dialling Gina's number, the writer sighed as Lanie got up and walked towards the kitchen, pouring them both a drink as she watched the writer hold the phone against his ear. "Gina" Rick stated as Lanie smiled. "What's this about Kate calling earlier?" he asked before falling silent. "That's not something you just forget Gina, you can't keep doing this whenever you feel like it" he explained, his tone becoming angrier as he thought about how the blonde kept trying to interfere with his relationship. "Gina this is your last warning. If you attempt to interfere with my relationship again I will fire you and go to a different publisher" the writer stated before putting the phone down. "Please tell me there's something strong in that drink because I need it" he moaned, turning to look at the student who quickly shook her head before laughing.

XOOXOXOXOXOXXO

Picking the phone up, Kate sighed as she relaxed back on her bed and held it to her ear, exhaustion overflowing her body as she attempted to stay awake for the phone call. She needed to start the new novel with Alexis and by now Lanie would have been to see the writer and he'd want to know all about the earlier situation.

"Katie?" Rick asked quickly as she sighed.

"Hey writer man" she whispered, tears filling her eyes already as the exhaustion took over. "Sorry, I'm an emotional wreck today. It's been a long day and I really just want to crawl into bed and not come out until this whole thing is over" she apologised, not knowing what else to say as the writer remained silent, giving her the time to calm down.

"I talked to Gina today" Rick admitted when the conversation fell silent. "I told her that if she does anything like that again then our business deal is over and I'll go to another publisher" he explained as Kate smiled, glad that the writer had finally talked to the blonde. "Lanie really doesn't like our bitchy blonde bimbo" he smiled.

"No she doesn't, she hates her and I don't blame her" Kate commented, her eyes shutting as she listened to the writer laugh for a moment.

"Are you going to tell me what happened earlier? Lanie says you were upset" the writer admitted as Kate sighed, hating that she'd worried the writer over something stupid. "Kate, you can tell me anything and if someone hurt you…" he began.

"It's nothing like that" she blurted out. "Javier and I were walking to breakfast and these guys were talking about me. They were commenting on how I'm good to watch but I'll never be a good cop and then Tom tried to ask me out and I showed him the ring and he just laughed and said that you weren't here" she explained as Rick groaned, already hating this guy. "He said I shouldn't be a cop Rick that I should just be there to look pretty for someone or be a teacher or something like that".

"Kate if you want to be a cop then you'll be a cop" Rick stated. "This guy doesn't know anything about you sweetheart" he smiled as Kate nodded slowly, allowing the tears to silently run down her cheeks. "You prove to them that you're going to a better cop than they'll ever dream of being Katherine Beckett" the writer announced, his determination obvious in his voice. "I know you Kate and you won't go down without a fight".

"You really believe I can do this?" she asked gently.

"I don't just believe it Kate, I know it" he stated as she smiled gently at his comment, knowing that he was what she'd needed all day. "Just keep fighting Kate, be the dark horse. Let them think that you're weak and just a girl and then when they least expect it, show them how brilliant you are" he smiled as she nodded slowly, taking in everything he was saying.

"I love you Rick" Kate announced.

"I love you too Katie, I love you so much" he whispered. "Alexis isn't here tonight, mom and Jim have taken her to the movies tonight so I could continue working" the writer explained as Kate nodded, smiling at how involved her father was becoming in Alexis' life.

"I was looking forward to reading her actually" Kate laughed before sighing. "I guess I should get some sleep, I'm exhausted" she admitted.

"You are looking yourself aren't you Kate? Three meals a day, lots of water, not overdosing on the coffee?" he listed as she fell silent. "Which of the above haven't you done Kate?" he asked, knowing that silence too well.

"Three meals a day and not overdosing on the coffee, it's been a long day Rick but I promise that tomorrow I'll be better" she smiled, the writer nodding slowly as he took in the fact that he needed to trust her. "I promise I'll let Javier drag me to meals tomorrow if he has too" she laughed.

"Good, I don't need you getting sick" he stated as she laughed. "So Kate, twenty questions?" he asked as she laughed and nodded.


	67. Chapter 67

**This chapter is pitifully short but I wanted to leave it on a cliff hanger and I liked where it ended so I promise the next chapter will be up tomorrow and it'll be really long. **

"Go on then, knock on the door" Rick smiled as the redhead quickly knocked on Kate's bedroom door, their smiles growing as they waited for the brunette to answer. It had been a month since she'd joined the academy and the last couple of weekends they'd spent together had involved random days out to wherever they could. Jim Beckett had joined them the previous weekend with Martha and they'd had a large picnic together where Kate had spent most of the time cuddled up with Rick with Alexis sat on her lap.

"She's not in there" a voice said behind them as Alexis and Rick turned to see Javier standing behind them. "She's running the course again" he explained as Rick groaned, knowing that Kate had become extremely determined to improve her time over the past month, especially since Tom Demming had made comments about her. "I can take you down there if you want, she probably forgot the time. I know she was excited about seeing you again" Javier admitted as Rick nodded, holding onto his daughter's hand as they followed Javier out of the building and towards the course. Watching as Kate ran towards the wall, Rick sighed as Alexis ran forward slightly.

"Katie" Alexis screamed, shock covering everyone's face as Kate slipped on the top of the wall and fell to the ground. Running towards her, Rick quickly knelt down as he stared at the woman who was lying perfectly still.

"Javier I need you to go and get help, she's unconscious" Rick screamed as the man nodded before running of at the hill while Rick stared down at Kate. "You're going to be okay sweetheart, you're going to be okay" he whispered as he found her hand and clung onto it as Alexis slowly walked over with tears in her eyes. "Sweetheart she's going to be fine, she just bumped her head when she fell and that made her sleepy" Rick smiled at his daughter as the tears began to run down her cheeks before she nodded gently before walking over and kneeling beside Kate. Hearing a small moan, the writer watched as Kate's eyes slowly opened.

"Where am I Rick?" she moaned.

"You're at the academy sweetheart" he explained as she stared at him in confusion, not knowing why she was there. "Police academy, you fell off the wall a minute ago".

"Police academy? Why am I at police academy? We just got home from Miami" she explained as he bit into his lip, realising that Kate couldn't remember anything from Miami meaning the academy was completely forgotten and her mother's death. "Rick, can you call my mom?" she asked as he shut his eyes, not knowing what to say as a group of people began to run towards them with Esposito.


	68. Chapter 68

"Sweetheart Miami was five months ago, remember? It was five months ago" Rick whispered as he brushed the hair away from her face as she was lifted onto a stretcher, a small moan leaving her lips as she relaxed back and allowed the group of men to carry her towards the building while Rick clung onto her hand with Alexis following behind with a silent Esposito. "We just celebrated one year Katie, we've been together a whole year now" he admitted, desperately trying to dart around the idea of her mother's death. "We went to the hotel in town remember. We had a bath together and I gave you a massage because you were so tense, we discussed you moving into the loft" he listed, desperately hoping that something would spark a memory.

"Rick I want my mom, Rick I really want my mom" Kate sobbed as he sighed, moving out of the way as they entered the building.

"We'll take her to her room and call the doctor out to come and check on her" one man explained as Rick nodded and smiled down at the brunette, desperately trying to keep her clam as she groaned again from the pain and allowed the tears to continue to run down her face. Entering Kate's room a few moments later, Rick sighed as the brunette was moved onto the bed and the crowd of men quickly left the room.

"Look why don't I take Alexis to get something to drink?" Javier suggested as Rick nodded and smiled at his daughter whose face was still tear stained from earlier. "Come on Alexis, let's see what fun things we can find to drink" he declared as he began to lead her out of the room, the small girl not moving for a while before sighing and following Javier out of the bedroom.

"Rick" Kate whispered, looking across the room at the silent writer as he forced a smile onto his face and approached her, their hands finding each other quickly before his lips pressed against her forehead. "Why won't you call my mom?" she asked as he shut his eyes, knowing that she would work it out soon even if she couldn't remember. "Rick what happened to my mom?" she whispered, her voice showing how close she was to tears as he leant down and gently rested his forehead against hers, hating that he had to make her live through this again.

"Katie, your mom died when we came back from Miami" he whispered, his eyes shutting the moment she broke down. "You need to remember sweetheart, I need you to remember" he begged.

"What happened to my mom Rick?" she begged, desperately needing to know what had happened. "How did she die?"

"She was stabbed Kate, someone stabbed her" he whispered, moving away so he could wipe the tears from her face as she silently cried. "What can I do?" he asked.

"She can't be dead Rick I was talking to her a couple of days ago, we were laughing" she sobbed as he shook his head, hating that her heart was breaking all over again. He was making his girlfriend go through her mother's death all over again. "We were talking about you Rick; I was laughing over something she said about us because it seemed so stupid" she admitted, surprising the writer. He'd never learnt what Kate and Johanna had talked about in their last moments together and he'd thought that he never would because Kate needed to keep some things private.

"Do you want to talk about it Katie?" he asked as she remained perfectly still. "Do you want to cuddle then? We don't need to talk or anything, we can just cuddle" he whispered, her head nodding slowly as she moved slightly on the bed before he slipped onto the space beside her, his arms wrapping around her as she buried her head into his chest before crying again.

"Have they caught who killed her Rick? Did they catch her killer?" she whispered as he sighed and shook his head, hating that he had to inform her of the worst news of her life.

"No Katie, they haven't found the bastard who killed her but they will, the man who killed her will pay for what he did" Rick muttered as she shut her eyes and nodded slowly, desperately trying not to cry again. "You're moving into the loft sweetheart, you probably don't remember that but you're coming to live with Alexis and mother and me" he admitted as she smiled weakly, desperately trying not to cry again.

"My dad? What about my dad?" Kate asked quickly.

"It was hard to begin with but we got him through everything, you got him through it Kate and he's doing really well now. Last time I came to visit you Katie our whole family went for a picnic" he admitted as Kate nodded again, not knowing what to say. Was she supposed to be happy about this? What was she supposed to feel? She couldn't remember five months of her life, her mom was dead and she was moving on with her life. How could she be moving on with her life when her mother's killer was still out there? "You need to stay awake until the doctor arrives sweetheart; they need to check you out because you had a big fall".

"Rick stop talking to me like I'm four, I hit my head, I'm not stupid" she snapped before shaking her head, hating herself for being angry at the man who was helping her. "I'm sorry Rick, I just… I don't even know what I am at the moment" she whispered, entwining her fingers with his as he fell silent and nodded slowly before gently pressing a kiss into her hair. "I guess our last conversation was about you Rick" she whispered as she kept close to him. "We were talking about everything in Miami and she just knew that we'd taken it that next step, that perfect next step".

"Yes" he whispered, remembering the evening to perfection.

"She said that she could imagine us going that whole way Rick" she admitted as shock covered his face at the comment. "She said that we just fitted together and that we reminded her of her and my dad when they got together" Kate whispered, remembering the whole conversation to perfection. She'd been curled up on the couch with her mother, the two of them drinking coffee and gossiping like normal while her father was at work. "She said she could imagine us going the whole way; marriage and everything that comes with it Rick".

"Your mom was a clever woman Kate, an extremely clever woman" Rick whispered as Kate nodded slowly, tears filling her eyes as she relaxed back in his arms as a knock on the door filled the room. Watching as it opened, Rick smiled as the doctor entered the room and walked towards them. "Kate, the doctors here" the writer whispered as she groaned and sat up, staring at the man who was smiling at her weakly.

"So what happened Kate?" he asked.

"I fell off the wall but I'm fine now" she explained, shrugging it off as the doctor began to open his bag and looked across at the writer.

"She was unconscious for around four or five minutes" the writer added as Kate groaned while the other man nodded and began to run some tests, Kate doing everything he told her as Rick sat beside her with a small smile covering his face. "She's also got some memory loss" he added.

"How much memory loss?" the doctor asked.

"Five months' worth" Rick whispered as Kate shut her eyes and relaxed back into him, wanting to retreat back into the comfort of his arms for hours. "Is that normal? Is she okay? Does she need to go to hospital?" he asked.

"She'll be fine and her memory should return to normal in time. It's quite normal with head injuries for there to be amnesia. Just relax, get some bed rest and take it easy for a couple of days Kate; everyone seems to fall off the wall here at some point" the doctor announced before standing and walking towards the door. "Do you want me to prescribe you some painkillers?" he asked.

"No thank you, I don't want to take anything" Kate whispered as the man nodded and left the room before Kate cuddled up beside him and shut her eyes.

"So your mom thought we could get married one day Kate?" he asked as she nodded quickly before relaxing, not hearing the door open when Javier and Alexis slipped into the room. "Hey pumpkin" Rick whispered as Alexis smiled and moved onto the bed, crawling over to lie down beside her father before looking at the brunette who looked fast asleep.

"Is she okay daddy?" Alexis whispered as he nodded.

"Katie's going to be fine sweetheart, she's very tired at the moment and needs some sleep" Rick admitted as Alexis nodded. Looking up, Rick smiled as he stared at Javier who was watching them in silence. "Was Alexis alright?" he asked quickly, smiling when the other man nodded quickly.

"She was great, she's a very clever girl actually. She's not afraid to tell someone when they're wrong" Javier smiled as Rick beamed proudly. "How is she?" Javier asked as Rick nodded, watching as Kate moved closer to him and buried her head into his chest, relaxing as his arms tightened around her body.

"She'll be fine and her memory will come back soon, she's just got to take it easy for a couple of days" the writer admitted as Javier nodded and sat down in a nearby chair. "Javier I don't want to ruin your day off but do you mind showing Alexis around or something? I don't want her to get bored lying here all day and I don't want to leave Kate at the moment" the writer admitted as the other man nodded quickly.

"Come on Alexis, let's go and see if we can find anything fun to do in this place" Esposito declared as the redhead nodded and jumped off the bed before stopping and turning around. Leaning across, Alexis smiled as she gently pressed a kiss to Kate's cheek before grabbing Rory off the side and placing it on the bed.

"We can go now Javi, bye daddy" the redhead smiled as Esposito nodded and followed the six year old out of the room.

XOOXOXOXOXOXOXO

"Are we engaged Rick?" Kate asked as she stared at the ring on her finger, smiling when the writer walked out of the en-suite shaking his head at her question. "Why am I wearing a ring?" she asked quickly as he held up his hand to reveal the ring on his finger as well. "Are we married?" she asked in shock.

"No sweetheart, we just bought each other promise rings" he explained as she nodded slowly, taking in the new development. "When we went to the Hampton's before you came here we bought promise rings to show everyone that we were in serious relationships" he declared as she nodded and smiled when he sat down on the edge of the bed and stared down at her. "I can't get over how beautiful you are Kate. Every time I look at you Kate I just fall more in love with you, not only are you beautiful but you're kind and clever and extremely loving".

"What if I don't get my memory back?" she blurted out, silencing him for a moment.

"You'll get it back Kate, I promise" he whispered, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. "I have to leave soon, I need to get Alexis ready for school and she'll be exhausted" he explained as Kate nodded slowly, hating the fact that the writer had to leave her. "Javi will be here if you need someone and I'm only a phone call away".

"Who's Javi?" she asked.

"Your friend here" he admitted as she nodded slowly. "He's the one with Alexis at the moment and he cares about you like you're his sister" he explained as Kate continued to nod. "I'm sure he can tell you what room he's in and if you need to talk to someone you can talk to him, I know that he won't mind you waking him up if you need someone" he declared as the door opened again and the redhead ran into the room as Esposito followed her.

"Katie you're awake" Alexis smiled as the brunette nodded before staring down at the toy lion she was cuddling. "How are you feeling Katie?" the redhead asked as Kate smiled and shrugged.

"Better sweetheart, a lot better actually. Thank you for asking" she admitted, leaning across to press a kiss to Alexis' forehead.

"Javier said you'd lost your memory, have you found it yet?" she asked as smiles appeared on all their faces. "Maybe I can help you look for it Katie, I'm very good at finding things" Alexis commented as Rick laughed gently and smiled at his daughter, glad that she was here to make everything seem better.

"Alexis can you find Kate's photo album for me?" Rick asked as Alexis nodded and grabbed it off the bedside table before jumping onto a space in the bed. "Here, this should help" he whispered as Kate nodded and sat up, groaning slightly before she relaxed and open the book.

"That's Miami, first time I'd ever been" Kate smiled as he nodded, watching as she gently ran her fingers over the picture of her resting on the beach. Turning the page, Kate sighed as she stared at the image with no idea when it was taken. "I don't remember" she whispered.

"That's fine Katie, no one is expecting you to remember" he admitted as he smiled at the picture. "That's Alexis' birthday, she turned six Kate" he explained as Kate nodded slowly and continued to go through the photos silently. "I'm going to have to go" Rick whispered, staring across at Javier who slowly nodded and stared at the brunette who'd immediately grabbed Rick's hand.

"Please don't go, I don't want you to go Rick" she begged, his eyes shutting for a moment before she relaxed. "Can I come with you Katie? Please can I come with you?" she whispered, his head shaking as he moved off the bed and stared at her while Alexis put her coat back on.

"Sweetheart, I know you don't remember at the moment but you really want this Kate. You've been working on this for so long Katie, you were so excited to get here so don't throw it away because of temporary memory loss because you'll regret it" he stated as she groaned before nodding gently, knowing that Rick was probably right. "I love you" he whispered.

"I love you Rick, I love you so much" she muttered as he nodded and stared across at Alexis who ran over and quickly hugged the brunette. "I love you too little one" she whispered as Alexis nodded, not knowing what else to do.

"I'll call you the moment I get home I promise" Rick stated as she nodded slowly, still not wanting him to leave her. Walking over to Javier, the writer sighed as the man continued to watch Kate with a concerned look painted across his face. "Can you stay in here tonight? I know it might break some rules or whatever but I don't want her to be alone" he whispered as Javier nodded.

"Sure, I was going to stay here anyway if you didn't think it was too weird" he smiled as Rick nodded and turned to look at Kate who was still going through the photo album. Walking over, Rick sighed as he gently pressed a kiss to Kate's lips while she clung onto his hand again, not wanting him to leave her.

"I'll call you sweetheart and we'll talk about everything" he whispered as she nodded slowly. "I'll see you in two weeks".

"Two weeks?" she asked in shock.

"That's the rules they have Kate but it'll go so fast and you'll probably have all of your memory back by then so it'll be okay" he whispered as she groaned before lying down and shutting her eyes before smiling gently.

"You made too many balloons, you made too many balloons on Alexis' birthday" she whispered as Rick beamed.

"That's right sweetheart, we joked about it all morning" he laughed as she opened her eyes and stared at him. "You're remembering sweetheart, that's great" he smiled as she nodded slowly and relaxed. "Now I've got to get this one home" Rick whispered as Kate sighed and reached for his hand, pulling him down slightly before she kissed him. "Just relax and take it easy, don't try and push it".

"I won't" she whispered, both of them knowing that she was lying as he walked towards Alexis and took hold of her hand. "Bye" she muttered.

"Bye Katie, we love you" Alexis smiled as the brunette waved at her gently before they slipped out of the room.

XOOXOXOOXOXOX

"What made you want to be a cop Javier?" Kate asked gently later that night as she stared across at the man who was currently sat in the chair watching her. "Or have you told me that already? I'm sorry but I don't' remember" she laughed gently as he shook his head and relaxed in the chair. "We don't have to talk about it if you don't want too" she muttered.

"I used to be in the Special Forces" he admitted as she nodded slowly, taking in the information she already knew. "Snipers…" he whispered, his eyes shutting as Kate sat up determined to listen to his story. "My best friend, my partner was shot and he died before we could get him any help" he explained as Kate slowly nodded, feeling sorry for the man she didn't remember. "The only problem is, when you're out there you don't get the answers you want. You don't find the people who kill your partners unless you're extremely lucky. You never know is full detail what's going on" he explained as she held her hand out, watching as the man quickly took hold of hers.

"I'm sorry" Kate whispered as he nodded slowly.

"I guess what I wanted to do was find the answers. Find out who did to other people so it wasn't just brushed off. Seeing all those people die and no one get punished for it just made you want justice" he explained as Kate nodded slowly, feeling inside that she knew exactly how he felt. Her mom! Her mom was dead! "What about you?" he asked. "What made you want to be a cop Kate? If you remember…" he asked as she shut her eyes, attempting not to cry as she thought about it.

"My mom" she whispered. "She was murdered five months ago and we never found out who did it. I guess that's what made me want to be a cop but I don't know, I can't remember". "I guess we're kind of the same" she admitted as he nodded slowly.

"Two people searching for answers" he muttered as she nodded this time, not knowing what to say.

"I'm sorry about your friend" she whispered as he fell silent.

"I'm sorry about your mom" he admitted as he relaxed back in the chair, still holding her hand as she smiled at him weakly before shutting her eyes, knowing that she needed to sleep.

**So what do you think? I wasn't completely sure on Esposito's back story so I decided to make my own one up and I wanted it to bring Esposito and Kate closer and well, I just hope you liked the chapter. **

**Thank you for your amazing responses! My heart gets all excited when I see a new review! **


	69. Chapter 69

"We're going to time you again today" the coach stated as everyone stared at him before nodding, Kate groaning as she turned to look at Esposito who was already glaring across at Tom Demming who was smirking in their direction. It had been two weeks since the accident and Demming's comments had increased about the uncertainty of her becoming a cop. He'd been heard by Javier saying that the best thing about Kate falling off the wall was she landed on her back where she was supposed to be and Esposito had been pulled away by the brunette before he had the chance to do anything. It had also been two weeks of extreme training where Kate hadn't stopped working on her time for the next time so she could beat Tom Demming!

"I'm going to do this Javi" Kate whispered. "I'm going to show him that I'm more than what he thinks I am" she muttered as he nodded, smiling at her in amazement as she sighed, pulling her hair away from her face as she heard laughter behind her. Rick was arriving later with Alexis and the sound of laughter made her excited to see the little girl and desperate to prove that she was doing well here. She also wanted to tell Rick how much her memory was improving since the last time he'd visited, even though in their two weeks' worth of conversation had focused on her memory she wanted to see him in person. Hearing the countdown, Kate smiled as the sound of the gun shooting ran through her mind before she began to run, knowing to go slow at the start so not to waste her energy. She hadn't stopped training with Javier; evenings spent in the gym sparring and early mornings spent running to improve their personal times while everyone else was attempting to get as much sleep as possible.

"Not on your back today Kate" Tom Demming smirked as he turned back to see her running close behind him.

"I might not be but you will be at the end of this Demming, just you wait" she declared, hearing a laugh from Esposito as she found herself enjoying the run, knowing better than to overtake Tom Demming now.

"I don't know Kate; you've still got the wall to climb. You'll be back on your back before you realise how much you've missed it" he stated as he approached the wall, Kate groaning as she began to speed up, the two of them climbing the wall at the same time. Speeding up, the brunette smiled as she reached the top and turned to look at the man who was still climbing.

"You're right I do miss it and you were also right about something else, I will be on my back tonight because my boyfriend is coming here to see me and we're going to a hotel; although he'll probably end up on his back more than I'll be on mine" she laughed, surprised at where the comment had come from. "At least one of us will be getting some Demming, see you at the finishing line" Kate smirked, jumping from the wall before Tom had even reached the top.

"Bitch" he hissed.

XOOXOXOXOXOXO

"Rick I did it, I beat everyone. I came in first, I beat Tom Rick by a whole minute" she laughed as she wrapped her arms around the writer who held her close, extremely proud of her. "I actually did it" she smiled as the writer lifted her into the air as she squealed, her excitement obvious as she stared down at him to see a proud smile covering his face. "I did it" she whispered.

"You did it Kate" he smiled, feeling her arms wrap around his neck as her feet touched the ground again and his lips found hers. Kissing her gently, the writer laughed against her lips as her fingers ran through his hair. "I thought we could go for another picnic today, everyone's here" he explained as she nodded slowly. "How's your head feeling? Memory completely back yet?" he asked as she shrugged.

"I'm getting there, a few gaps still but the doctor thinks I'm doing well especially with how high I fell from" she explained as he nodded, his arm wrapping around her tightly as she looked down to notice that Alexis wasn't with him. "Where's my favourite redhead?" she asked.

"In the car with your dad and my mother" he explained as she nodded. "Lanie's here too but she's currently talking to Javier, they'll meet us at the car in a minute Kate" he explained as Kate smiled, stopping for a moment before she quickly pressed a kiss to his lips. "I've missed you so much beautiful" he admitted as his hands moved from the small of her back to rest on her ass for a moment.

"Do you just miss me for me Rick or do you just miss me for all the things I'll do in bed with you Mr Castle?" she asked as he laughed, leaning in closer to press a kiss to her lips.

"A bit of both actually Miss Beckett" he admitted against her lips, her eyes rolling as he began to lead her towards the building, both of them excited to spend time as a family again. Approaching the car, Kate smiled as she found everyone standing by the two cars that had been driven up, a laugh leaving her lips when everyone began to give her a round of applause. "Here she is the fastest in her class" he declared as Kate rolled her eyes and felt Alexis' arms wrap tightly around her hips.

"Well done Katie, Javier says you ran so fast that other man was miles behind" the redhead smiled as Kate nodded slowly, running her fingers through Alexis' hair for a moment before relaxing as her father walked over and kissed her cheek.

"Congratulations sweetheart, I know how much this meant to you" Jim whispered as Kate nodded, her face beaming with excitement as Rick's wrapped his arm around her waist again tighter than before. "Picnic to celebrate?" the older man asked as everyone nodded in agreement, approaching their designated vehicles as Kate remained close to the writer, happy to be with him again.

XOXOXOOXXOXO

"My whole body aches right now Rick" Kate moaned as she lay on the grass, her head resting on Rick's lap as he smiled down at her before leaning down and kissing her gently as she smiled. "Tom made more comments about me today" she admitted as he groaned, staring down at her as she bit into her lip. "He said that I'd be back on my back where I belonged before I knew it" she admitted, watching as the anger grew on his face. "So I answered back and told him I probably would be on my back as my boyfriend was coming to visit" she admitted, not surprised when he burst out laughing.

"Who thought you had that in you Kate?" he laughed as she shrugged before leaning up and kissing him again, glad that everyone else was currently busy playing with a football. "Did you really tell him that?" he asked as she nodded and laughed, not knowing what to say about the comment she'd made in the excitement of proving Tom Demming wrong. "Is it really weird that I find that so hot?" he asked, her head shaking as she sat up and ran her fingers across his cheek.

"Of course not" she whispered, a laugh leaving his lips as she leant in to kiss him again.

"Katie, daddy come and play with us" Alexis called out, pulling the couple apart as Lanie and Esposito smirked at them. Standing, Kate and Rick slowly approached the group, the writer laughing as he grabbed the ball from Javier and started to run away from the crowd of shocked people. "Daddy you're going the wrong way" the redhead laughed as Rick groaned and turned to see everyone staring at him in amusement.

"Well you didn't make that very clear pumpkin" Rick teased as she shrugged at him.

"You didn't ask daddy" she replied, shocking everyone with her response.

"You three are a bad influence on her, stop destroying my perfect little girl" Rick stated as he looked across from Kate to Martha and finally to Lanie while all women smiled back at him. "I can't believe…" he began, falling silent when Kate ran over and took the ball from his hands before sprinting off away from him. "Kate" he moaned, chasing after her as everyone laughed. Catching up to her, the writer laughed as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her into the air, a squeal leaving her lips at his touch.

"Food" Alexis called out, stopping the two adults as they turned to see Martha and Lanie removing food from the bag they'd brought. "Come on daddy, Kate" the redhead moaned, Kate smiling at the redhead as Rick slowly let her go. Walking towards the group, the two smiled at the family they'd built around themselves.

"Our family" Kate whispered to him as he nodded.

"Our family Katie, our family" he repeated before they sat down silently, both of them smiling as Alexis moved to sit between them.

XOOXOXOXOXOX 

"Do you think they've kissed yet Rick?" Kate asked as she stared across at Lanie and Javier who were laughing over something that had been said while Jim and Martha continued to play with Alexis. "They're cute together, I'm proud of that. I'm proud that I brought them both some happiness, especially for Javier" the brunette admitted as she turned to kiss the writer who was sat behind her with his arm wrapped gently around her stomach.

"You did a good thing bringing them together Kate, they're happy" the writer whispered, leaning forward to press a kiss to the back of her head as she smiled. "Did you know that Lanie's always calling him? They never seem to be off the phone".

"Yeah, when I was sick he would sneak out in the evening to phone her. He didn't think I knew it was her though" she laughed as he relaxed. "That's normally when I would call you and Lex to read bed time stories and talk about myself" she admitted as the writer nodded quickly and watched as Lanie leant forward and gently kissed Esposito's cheek, a squeal leaving Kate's lips as the writer laughed.

"You're such a child sometimes Kate" Rick laughed as she shrugged.

"Unlike you Mr Castle, I haven't stopped being a teenager yet so I'm allowed to be childish" she smiled, his eyes rolling before he kissed her again, her fingers running through his hair as she turned to face him properly. "Are we really going to a hotel tonight?" she asked, his head nodding as she smiled and relaxed. "So it's just us, no one else?".

"Just us for a whole night again Kate" he explained as she laughed gently, excitement building up in her veins at the idea of waking up with him again. "I'm proud of you Kate, you know that right?" he commented as she nodded, knowing Rick was proud of everything she'd achieved.

XOXOOXOXXOOXOX

"So where did you come in this track time thing that you did today?" Lanie asked as she sat with Esposito, watching as Kate and Rick disappeared with the redhead to read the book that Alexis had insisted they brought with them.

"Second and third, I came across the line at the same time as this Kevin Ryan guy. Tom Demming was miles away from us, it was amazing to see Kate come first she hasn't stopped working for it" he explained as Lanie nodded at him before relaxing. "Lanie…" he began.

"Yes Javi" she smiled as he breathed out and laughed, her smile growing as she took in how nervous he'd suddenly become. "What's the matter?" she asked quickly.

"I was wondering whether you'd like to go to dinner tonight" he admitted as she smiled and nodded, not caring that she was supposed to be going home that night with Jim, Martha and Alexis. "How are you going to get home tomorrow though?" he asked quickly.

"I'll get Rick to give me a lift back tomorrow, it's what we did the last time" she explained as Javier nodded and smiled, enjoying the idea of another date with Lanie. "So where are we going tonight? Same place as last time or somewhere different?" she asked as he shrugged, slightly annoyed that he hadn't planned it better. "I need to book a hotel room though for the evening but other than that it'll be fine Javi".

"We could do that on the way to dinner if you like, then we'll just have to hope we find somewhere good to eat" he suggested, her head nodding quickly before she laughed gently. "How's college going?" he asked.

"It's okay, spending most of my time buried in a text book is a great way to live my life" she admitted as he nodded, smiling as she laughed gently before shaking her head. "I'm determined to be cutting dead people up at some point in the future so I'll continue to spend my time with text books and I'll party later when I actually finish college" she laughed, watching as he laughed along with her before sighing.

"Are you two ready to go?" Rick asked as he walked back over to them to see them nodding, his arm firmly wrapped around Kate who was as close to him as physically possible; the two couples beaming at each other.

**I know this ended at a weird point but the next chapter will be the Esplanie date and there will be also be more Caskett moments. Thank you for your amazing reviews. **


	70. Chapter 70

"Man, watch out" Esposito moaned as he ducked out of the way as the bowling ball quickly came back in his direction; the writer turning as both women laughed in amazement. "The ball isn't supposed to even come this way man, it goes that way" Javier declared, pointing down the alley as Lanie and Kate continued to laugh in amusement, both of them enjoying the entertainment the two men were providing. It had happened in a matter of seconds; Rick had moved to bowl down the aisle and instead ended up flying the ball backwards into the group of people behind him, especially Esposito.

"I'm sorry, I don't even know how it happened. I was aiming forward I promise" the writer admitted as Kate rolled her eyes and walked over to him quickly, the writer smiling as she rested a hand on his shoulder and leant up to press a kiss against his cheek.

"The ball goes that way writer man remember" she whispered as he groaned, his arms wrapping around her as she laughed gently and moved away to let him try again. "Remember Rick, forward this time, forward" she smirked, the writer groaning as he turned around to face her to see her smiling at him in amazement while Lanie and Javier laughed at the interaction between the other couple. They'd agreed to go on a double date in the car and neither of the two couples regretted the decision they'd made.

"I'm going to order food" Lanie stated as Esposito smiled up at her. "Why are you staring at me with that creepy smile?" she asked, glaring at him as he laughed.

"If you're getting food will you get me some?" he asked as she crossed her arms and glared at him. "You wonderful caring amazing woman who is going to be cutting open bodies at some point" he smiled as she laughed gently and held her hand out for him.

"Come with me then, I don't know what you like" she smiled, Javier nodding as he stood up and took hold of the medical students hand. "Do you two want anything?" Lanie asked as she looked across at the other couple.

"Just get us whatever you're having, Rick eats anything" Kate explained as Lanie and Javier nodded and walked off, their arms wrapped around each other. "I am amazing Richard Castle" the brunette stated as Rick walked towards her and sat down, his arms wrapping around her as she beamed up at him before he kissed her gently.

"You certainly are Kate" he admitted as she smiled, enjoying the warmth of his arms around her. "This was an amazing idea, I'm having fun" he muttered as she nodded, shutting her eyes as she relaxed against him.

"Same" she whispered as he began to hum along to the song that was playing in the alley. "I used to go bowling with my parents all the time, mom and dad were so competitive over it" Kate admitted as he smiled, enjoying the moments when Kate would tell him stories of her past. "I would never win because they were so good and sometimes I would just sit and watch them because they were so unbelievably competitive and it made me laugh to see them just being horrible to each other but still loving each other" she admitted as he tightened his arms around her, knowing that there was always a part of her that hurt when she mentioned her mother. "I used to dream that one day I'd find a guy who would love me like my dad loved my mom" she admitted before looking up at him. "I think I found that guy" she whispered before leaning up and gently kissed him, enjoying the feeling of his lips against her as they deepened the kiss before she heard two people clearing their throats behind them. Pulling away from the writer, Kate bit into her lip as she stared across at her two friends as her cheeks burnt red.

"Food will be ten minutes, we just general sharing stuff" Lanie stated as Rick and Kate silently nodded, still embarrassed about being caught even though they'd been seen kissing most of the time. "My turn then?" she asked, Rick nodding as the medical student went over and grabbed the ball she'd been using earlier. Cheering when Lanie got a strike, Esposito smiled as she walked over and high fived him before sitting down and cuddling up beside him for a moment. "Go on Javi, your turn" she admitted, his smile growing as he nodded and stood up, approaching the aisle as Kate cuddled into Rick's side.

"What food did you get Lanie? Please tell me that you bought a lot" Kate asked quickly as she heard her stomach make its presence known, Rick's laughter at the noise making her nudge him in the side with her elbow.

"Lots of fries and some pizza" Lanie stated as Kate nodded, clapping when she heard Javier cheer at the amount of pins he'd knocked down. Laughing as he towards her, Lanie smiled as she gently pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Well done" she whispered in excitement, the writer and Kate smiling as they watched them in amazement. "Kate's turn" Lanie smirked as the brunette nodded, standing quickly as Rick gently smacked her ass.

"What was that for?" she asked in shock.

"Good luck Kate beat them for us" Rick smirked as she rolled her eyes before grabbing the ball and rolling it, cheering when all ten pins were knocked down. Moving towards Rick, Kate smiled when the writer pulled her down onto his lap and kissed her quickly, the two of them deepening the kiss as Lanie and Javier rolled their eyes and smiled in relief when the food arrived and the other couple pulled apart. "My queen at bowling" he whispered into her ear as he wrapped an arm around her and watched as she leant forward to take some fries.

"I told you Rick, my parents were amazing at bowling. I had to get it too" she laughed as he nodded, enjoying the evening more than he thought possible.

XOXOXOXXOXO

"Thanks for suggesting this Rick, it was an amazing evening" Lanie smiled as they all stood outside the hotel, the writer nodding as he smiled across at Kate. "So I guess you two will be sneaking off to your room now and not coming out until late morning" Lanie commented as Kate bit into her lip, hiding her face into Rick's side as the other couple laughed.

"You thought right Miss Parish so I'll take you home at around ten maybe? We should be ready by then" he declared, Lanie nodding slowly before Rick led Kate into the hotel, their hands clinging onto each other's as Kate laughed gently in excitement.

"And then there were two" Javier commented as Lanie nodded slowly, smiling in amazement as she moved closer to him. "I had fun tonight" he admitted as she nodded, staring up at him as he smiled, her smile continuing to grow as her fingers entwined with his. "Maybe we could do it again in two weeks?" he asked gently as she nodded again.

"I'd like that, maybe next time we do it without Kate and Rick making out constantly" she suggested as he laughed and nodded. "They're perfect for each other" Lanie whispered, looking across to see the couple standing inside the hotel lobby waiting for the elevator. "She's quite serious, he's a child at heart they just work together" she admitted; his head nodding slowly as she took a step closer to him. "Do you think we could be like that one day?" she asked.

"Give us a year and maybe we'll make it" he smiled as she nodded slowly. "Lanie" he whispered as she nodded slowly.

"Yes" she mumbled, suddenly losing all of her confidence as nerves took over.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked as she laughed and nodded slowly, amazed at how stupid they were acting. It was like the first kiss again! Awkward, nervous, waiting for one of them to make the first move! Moving closer, Lanie smiled as Javier moved and quickly pressed his lips to hers, her arms wrapping around his neck as they deepened the kiss. Moving away slowly, Esposito laughed as the medical student stared up at him. "Wow" he muttered as she nodded, moving closer to him again before their lips found each other again.

XOOXOXOXO

"Tell me more memories about your childhood Kate" Rick whispered as they lay in bed, her head resting on his chest as his fingers ran up and down her naked back. "Tell me all those silly things you remember from when you were a kid" he explained as Kate smiled, her eyes shutting as she tried to think of something to say.

"When my parents used to send me to bed without dinner because I'd done something really naughty which wasn't very often…" she began as Rick nodded, trying to imagine Jim and Johanna telling their dark haired child to go to bed because she'd done something. "At around two in the morning my mom would sneak into my room and wake me up, apologising for shouting at me after I'd apologised to her, I always said sorry the moment she woke me up" she admitted as he rested his hand on her hip, wanting to keep her close as she thought about her mother. He knew the pain was still fresh, especially with the accident and her recovering from amnesia. "She always brought a tray into the room with her and it would be full of food because she knew how quickly I got hungry" she laughed as Rick nodded. "We'd cuddle in bed after I'd eaten and she'd tell me that I need to learn from what I'd done wrong and use them to improve" she admitted.

"Good advice" Rick whispered as Kate nodded gently. "Your mother was an amazing woman Kate, I'm glad you have all these amazing memories with her" the writer explained as Kate sat up, looking down at him as she held the sheet up to cover her chest. "Tell me some more unless you want to stop" he whispered, her head shaking at him as she smiled gently.

"First day I started school, my mom cried and it terrified me. The whole day I thought I'd upset her and when she came to get me that afternoon I clung onto her so she'd be happy again. My mom thought something bad had happened so when she took me out for milkshakes she asked me what happened at school that had upset and when I told her nothing she started getting really paranoid, saying I could tell her anything and all those things" the brunette explained as Rick watched her, seeing the excitement and sadness that was covering her face as she remembered. "When I told her I waszxz scared that I'd upset her she laughed, wrapped her arms around and me and told me that I was growing up so fast and she was scared that I would be grown up and moving in with the love of my life one day" Kate whispered, tears filling her eyes as Rick stared at her. Sitting up, the writer sighed as he wrapped his arms around her. "I never imagined that she wouldn't be here Rick, not even for a second" she sobbed.

"Katie" he whispered.

"She talked about my wedding all the time when I was younger, how the man I loved would never be enough for me because of how perfect I was, how she would cry the whole way through the service" she laughed through the tears as he stared down at her to see her face buried into his chest. "She's not going to be there Rick, when I get married one day she's not going to be there to support me" she whispered, relaxing back when he lay down on the bed and held her close. "Sorry, I'm ruining an amazing evening" she moaned, slipping off of the bed as he sighed and watched as she grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it on over her body before disappearing into the en-suite to calm down. Watching the door shut, Rick sighed as he slipped out of the bed and pulled his boxers on; knowing to give her at least a few seconds before he went there.

"Katie" he sighed, knocking on the door before he slid into the en-suite to find her sitting on the edge of the bath with tears running down her face. "Sweetheart, it's okay to be upset but you had an amazing eighteen years with your mom. You didn't waste any of those moments with her Kate, you and your mom had a better relationship than most people have with their parents. Celebrate it Kate because your mom wouldn't want to see you cry" the writer explained as she nodded, smiling when he took hold of her hand and stared at her promise ring. "Tell me what you're doing at the academy this week" he whispered, attempting to change her thoughts to something else.

"I get to use a gun" she commented as Rick smiled.

"We better hope Tom Demming and his lot are nowhere near you Kate when you start learning to shoot a gun" he laughed as she nodded, smiling in excitement as she wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed him to lift her into his arms. Carrying her out of the en-suite, Rick sighed as he rested her on the bed and watched her for a moment as she held her hand up and stared at the ring on her finger, knowing that she had someone to support her through everything.

**I hope you like this chapter! **


	71. Chapter 71

Holding the gun up, Kate smiled as she stared across at the range, knowing exactly how the task worked and how to succeed. She'd been training harder than anyone else around her, often working alongside Javier and now their newest friend Kevin Ryan who had become known to her through Esposito while at dinner one evening. She knew she needed to continue her scores. She was highest in her class along with Esposito and Ryan, proudly beating a quieter and more refrained Tom Demming who no longer made comments about her when she walked past. Hearing the countdown, Kate relaxed before waiting, waiting for the targets to start to move and her time to start. She needed this. She needed to prove herself in this one last course because she was almost finished. She'd almost completed her training and she was almost able to return home. Home to her family who were waiting for her!

Hearing the normal starting noise, Kate felt a smile cover her face before concentration took over, her finger moving few seconds to shoot at the targets she was supposed to while other people shot as well, aiming for the targets that were obviously representing criminals while attempting to avoid the civilians. Hearing a shot, Kate watched as someone's bullet went through the image of a young mother holding her baby; the loud shrill of the bell filling the room to indicate that the course was over.

"Demming" the coach called out, nobody noticing the sly smiles that covered the faces of Kate, Javier and Kevin as Tom called out. "Why did you shoot a young mother holding her child?" the older man asked quickly before silence filled the room. "You will not do it again! You need work Demming, a lot of work before you even think of passing this course" the coach stated as Kate bit into her bottom lip, desperately trying not to let out a small giggle at hearing Tom Demming being put in his place finally. "Beckett" the man announced, shocking her slightly.

"Yes sir" she stated, her voice firm, not showing the fear that was filling her stomach. Had she done something wrong? Had she failed the course somehow?

"Beckett, you hit all the correct targets. Demming, maybe you should take some lessons from Beckett's book before you think about graduating from this academy" he stated before ending the academy, Kate laughing as she put away her gun and smiled when Javier and Kevin walked over to her, both men high fiving her quickly.

"Beckett you hit all the correct targets again, oh Beckett you are my star pupil, oh Beckett I just think you're amazing" Javier teased, attempting to pull of their coaches voice as Kate rolled her eyes and gently hit him in the shoulder while Kevin laughed at them; knowing that he was only teasing her and not meaning any offense. "Since when did you get so good at shooting? Last week you were all over the place".

"Was not Javi, you're probably confusing me and you again because you were all over the place" she laughed before smirking. "Want to know my secret?" she asked.

"Yes" both Javier and Kevin laughed as she stared at them before leaning in close like she was going to whisper a large secret.

"I don't stay around for dessert and become lazy like two people I know" she teased before running out of the room, both men groaning before they laughed gently and followed her out. "So who's coming to your graduation?" Kate asked as she walked down the corridor with the two men, both of them falling silent as they began to think of the people who'd agreed to come to see them. "Javi, I know who's coming to watch you anyway" Kate blurted out as Esposito smiled at the thought of the medical student he hadn't seen for weeks.

"So I am going to meet the famous Lanie Parish soon" Ryan commented as Esposito groaned.

"Yes Lanie is coming to support me but she's coming for you too Kate" he stated as Kate smiled. "I think you're whole family is coming to see you" he admitted as she nodded, thinking of how quickly Rick had agreed to come along with Alexis, Martha and Jim to see her graduate her training. "So who is coming to support you Kevin?" Javier asked quickly, turning to look at their quiet friend as the man sighed.

"I don't know right now" he admitted, his hands slipping into his pockets before he sighed. "I think I need to go and get something from my room, I'll see you guys later" he stated, turning around to walk in the opposite direction to them as Kate and Javier stopped.

"Did we say something to upset him?" Kate asked gently as Esposito shook his head, not knowing what had upset the other man. "I'm going to go talk to him, I'll see you at lunch" she stated as Javier opened his mouth to speak, falling silent when Kate just walked off without giving him the time to respond.

"Kate wait for me" he declared, running after her as she smiled. Approaching Kevin's room a few moments later, Kate sighed as she gently knocked on the door and watched as her friend opened it and stared at her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked quickly.

"We were worried about you" Kate stated. "Did we say anything to upset you earlier because we didn't mean too if we did" she admitted as he shook his head and opened the door, allowing both of them into the room before he sighed. Noticing the picture frame on the floor, Kate sighed as she bent down and quickly picked it up to find an image of Kevin cuddled up with a dark haired woman. "She's beautiful, you're girlfriend?" she asked quickly as he took the frame from her; shocking both Kate and Esposito when he dumped it into the bin.

"Ex-girlfriend" he stated, filling both of them in with what was wrong. "We'd been together since school" he explained as Kate sat down and listened silently. "I asked her to marry me the last time she came to visit; I'd had the ring in my pocket for months, and it turns out she's been sleeping with my best friend for the last year and a half. Apparently she didn't know how to tell me as she didn't want to hurt my feelings" he admitted, laughing gently as he turned to see shock covering both Javier and Kate's face.

"I'm sorry" Kate whispered, shocked at how anyone could do that. Kevin was one of the most loyal guys she knew, even after a couple of weeks of becoming friends with him. "She just wasn't the right one Kevin, they'll be someone better one day" she muttered, knowing how stupid she sounded as the Irish man shrugged and moved towards the door.

"You can be such a girl sometimes Kate" Javier declared, his head shaking as Kate glared across at him.

"I'm still kicking your ass in everything though, aren't I Javi?" she smirked, Kevin laughing as they all left the room together.

XOOXOXOXOXO

"That's a horrible thing to do to someone, that poor man" Rick sighed down the phone as he sat on the couch with his fingers running through his daughter's red hair as she slept peacefully with her head on his lap.

"You'd never do that to me, would you Rick?" she asked gently, shocking him slightly. "I mean if you were ever unhappy in our relationship, you would tell me because I'd want to know" she admitted as he laughed gently.

"Kate I promise, I'm never going to sleep with your best friend. One, Lanie scares me more than anything in the world sometimes and two I love you far too much to jeopardize our relationship" he admitted as her smile grew, enjoying him say 'I love you' again. "So this Saturday Kate, are you excited?" he asked as she laughed gently, enjoying the idea of completing her training and being able to return to her new home at the loft. "I can't believe it's been three months Kate" he stated.

"I told you it would go fast in the end" she smiled gently. "How's Alexis?" she asked quickly, her thoughts immediately going to the redhead who she couldn't wait to see on Saturday.

"She's fast asleep with her head in my lap right now, we were watching a movie and she fell asleep. She's made a new friend called Paige at school and they had a play date today so she's exhausted at the moment but she's had a lot of fun" Rick admitted as Kate nodded, happy that Alexis was meeting other people her own age now. "She'll tell you all about it when she calls you later, she hasn't stopped talking about everything she's done with Paige" he admitted.

"I can't wait" Kate admitted as she relaxed back on her bed. Hearing a small groan, Rick sighed as he looked down to see Alexis staring up at him.

"Hey pumpkin guess who's on the phone" Rick stated as Kate smiled, knowing immediately that Alexis was now awake.

"Katie" the redhead laughed, reaching for the phone as she sat up and took it from her father. "Katie, I've made a new friend" Alexis blurted out as Kate smiled.

"Really? Are you going to tell me all about her then sweetheart?" Kate asked, pretending not to know anything as she knew that Alexis would want to tell her everything.

"Her name is Paige and she's really funny, she does lots of silly things like daddy Katie, she likes jokes and she's really fun" Alexis admitted as Kate nodded slowly, immediately thinking about all the trouble a six year old joker could get into. "She's really cool Katie, she came round today and we made smiley face pizzas with daddy" the redhead laughed.

"Smiley face pizzas? I want one now" Kate laughed.

"When you come home on Saturday Katie we'll make pizza I promise and you can put a smiley face on yours too" Alexis stated as Kate nodded, enjoying the sound of making pizzas with her makeshift family.

"I like the sound of that sweetheart, it sounds like a lot of fun" the brunette sighed, attempting not to yawn at that particular moment as exhaustion took over her. "Are you excited about me coming home again Alexis?" she asked quickly.

"Yes because you're not allowed to leave again. Daddy says he's going to lock you in if you think about leaving us again because we miss you so much" the redhead explained as Kate smiled, knowing that Rick was probably embarrassed that his daughter had brought that up. "We're never letting you go again Katie! Never, never, never"!

"That sounds good sweetheart" Kate laughed. "So story time?" Kate asked, already knowing the answer.

**I'm so sorry this took so long to update, real life has been a nightmare. **

**Also I'm slightly worried as the last chapter received a small amount of reviews compared to normal. **

**Warning: the next chapter will probably be the last chapter before I move onto the sequel. A couple of people have mentioned to me that chapter wise this story is becoming quite long and difficult to read so don't worry, I'm not ending it, just the next part of their journey will be in a different story. **

**Please review, it makes me write faster. **


	72. Chapter 72

**Your response to the last chapter was amazing and well here is the concluding chapter of Coffee and Scribbles, it feels sad that it's ending but I'm excited to get started on the sequel and on a new chapter of Kate and Rick's story. **

**The next story "Coffee and Lost Hours" will be up soon and I hope to see you all there for the next part of the journey. **

Brushing her dark hair back away from her face, Kate sighed as she tied her brunette hair into a bun and stared down at the ring that was continuing to decorate her finger in excitement. Rick was coming to see her and this time she was going home with him, she was going back to New York and all the normal chaos in their normal lives with Alexis needing to be at school and Gina continually calling with deadlines and events.

"You can do this Kate, you can do this" she whispered, turning around to look at the uniform that was lying across her bed neatly for the graduation event later that evening. Rick would be here with Alexis and Martha to support her and her father would be here to celebrate everything she'd achieved in the past three months. "I've made it, I've done it" she laughed, reaching across for her uniform as she relaxed. Hearing the phone ring, Kate sighed as she reached across, her smile growing as she worked out who would be calling. "Hello" she smiled.

"Hello beautiful cop of mine, how are you feeling today?" Rick smiled as Kate laughed gently and sat down on the edge of her bed, wishing that she hadn't tied her back now because she was desperate to run her fingers through them like she always did when she was nervous.

"Nervous actually, stupidly nervous" she admitted, knowing that she sounded stupid. "I can't wait to see you all today and I can't wait to move into the loft tonight forever because I'm not leaving" the brunette stated, knowing that the writer would be smiling at the thought. "And then we'll have to celebrate tonight as well Rick because every graduation needs a party" Kate added.

"What did you have in mind Officer Beckett? Is it something naughty? Please say it's something naughty" Rick asked as she laughed gently at the sound of her new tittle when he said it. Officer Beckett! She was a cop now!

"I thought we could watch some movies with Alexis, I'll cook dinner tonight because I've missed it and then when Lex has gone to bed we'll have a bath together and make love all night long until we're both exhausted and want to cuddle up and just sleep" she stated, his smile growing at the idea she was suggesting. She was coming home to them! "And then tomorrow morning, we'll wake up, make pancakes together for our family and have a pyjama day" the brunette explained, enjoying the idea already.

"The only part of that plan I dislike is you making dinner tonight Katherine Beckett" Rick admitted as she laughed. "We should be spoiling you Kate; you've achieved so much and tonight is going to be all about you. We're going to spoil you like the amazing woman that you are, Alexis is so excited" the writer explained as Kate groaned at the idea of everyone else doing work but her.

"Then I'll make dinner with you Rick, I want to help. I want to go back to being domestic with you because I've really missed that feeling of being in a family with someone, with you and Alexis" she laughed as he smiled at her explanation for wanting to make dinner. "Look I've got to go, I'm still not dressed and Kevin and Javier are coming here in a minute to get me" she admitted as shock covered his face.

"You've been talking to me on the phone and you're not even dressed yet?" Rick asked quickly as she giggled in excitement, looking up at the clock quickly to see that everyone would be leaving in the last couple of minutes to be here on time. "Look I've got to go, Alexis wants me to do her hair so I need to finish getting her ready and you need to get dressed" he explained.

"I do Rick, I really need to get dressed" she smiled. "I love you Richard Castle, I love you more than anything in the world" she admitted as she felt tears fill her eyes in amazement.

"I love you too Katie, the beautiful officer in my life" he muttered, the two of them saying goodbye to each other before she quickly hung up and stared at the rest of her uniform. It was almost time for her to become Officer Beckett officially.

XOOXOXOOXOXOXO

"I still can't see them, why aren't they here yet?" Kate asked quickly as she looked across to see her father and Lanie sitting down beside each other but the spaces beside them were still empty where Martha, Rick and Alexis were supposed to be seated. Turning around to look at Kevin and Javier who were silently watching her, she quickly wrapped her arms around her chest as she began to worry. "Where are they? What if something's happened?" she muttered as both men forced smiles onto their faces.

"There's probably traffic Kate, you know New York, you can never judge how long it would take to get somewhere" Kevin declared as she bit into her lip, hoping that Ryan was right about them being stuck in traffic. "I'm sure they're fine Kate, they'll be here before you know it" he explained as she shut her eyes, knowing that Kevin was probably right even though she couldn't shrug off the sinking feeling in her stomach that something was wrong.

"Come on, let's go and get a coffee before everything starts. I need a caffeine boost and so do you, you haven't one this morning and you always do" Javier declared, gently leading her down the corridor. Kate knew he was trying to calm her down but she couldn't remove that feeling in her stomach. She couldn't remove the feeling that something was wrong with the Castle's!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Congratulations Officer Beckett" Lanie teased as she walked over to her friend after the ceremony, her arms quickly wrapping around the brunette as Kate nodded slowly, unable to smile as Rick hadn't turned up for the ceremony and she was worried. Moving away slowly, Kate sighed as her father walked over and proudly wrapped his arms around her, her head burying into his chest as tears began to run down her cheeks. He hadn't been there! Rick hadn't been there to support her through one of the greatest achievements in her life.

"There's probably a really good reason sweetheart, he really did want to be here for the ceremony, he's been talking about it all week and Alexis was really excited as well" Jim admitted, pressing a kiss into her cheek as she relaxed and held him close. Hearing footsteps approaching her, Kate sighed as she turned to see one of the coaches walking towards her.

"Beckett, you have a phone call" he admitted as Kate nodded and followed him out of the room towards the phone. Taking it into her hand, the brunette sighed as she turned around to see the coach staring at her with a sad look upon his face instead of the pride that had been covering it early when she'd seen the older man.

"Hello?" Kate asked quickly down the phone.

"Kate, it's Martha" the brunette listened to as the redhead sobbed down the line. "Kate sweetheart there's been an accident..."

**DUN DUN DUN! **

**This is the last chapter of this story but this will continue in the next story "Coffee and Lost Hours". **

**Thank you for your amazing responses throughout this story! I've adored reading every comment you've written. **


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